Sapporo in the Moonlight
by leavesfallingup
Summary: LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?
1. Lory the Magnificent

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 1 - Lory the Magnificent**

It began as a typical lunch hour at LME, if anything about LME could be considered typical. Perhaps it would be better to say that it began as an uneventful lunch hour… well, however you want to say it; the facts were that L.A. Hearts, LME's spacious dining room, was packed, the food was good, and everyone was _basically_ content. And then the trumpets blazed and the vaulted ceiling erupted in tiny explosions that showered tinsel down upon the seated diners. While they scrambled to cover their food, a marching band began playing "Oh when the Saints come marching in." Everyone looked over toward the sound and saw LME President Takarada Lory, dressed as a bandmaster, waving his marching baton as he led a fifty-person marching band into the entrance of the dining room.

At his signal the band ended with a flourish and became silent. Lory gazed at the stunned diners who were hunched over the tables in a vain attempt to protect their food from the falling tinsel. He smiled, completely undisturbed by the many scowls and signs of irritation manifested throughout the room. "Ladies and Gentleman of LME, I want to thank you for being here today on this most auspicious occasion." His silent, ever-present assistant emerged from the shadows and extended a tray which held a scroll. With great dignity, Lory took the scroll and unrolled it. He cleared his voice loudly and then began to read with his deep, rich voice,

"Know ye all present that on this day, twenty-five years ago, Lory and Jun Takarada fulfilled their dream by establishing the talent agency thereafter known as Lory's Majestic Entertainment. Be it further known that said couple contributed blood, sweat, and many tears to see said company rise out of obscurity to become the most well-known and successful talent agency within the Japanese entertainment industry…" Lory's voice faltered for a minute and there was a suspicious trace of moisture in the corners of his eyes, "Although Jun could not be here today, be assured that she would be proud of what LME has become and what her "children" have accomplished."

As Lory said these words, a small, pink-suited young lady with orangish-blond hair stood up from her seat to face him. With perfect posture and grace she clasped her hands in front of her and bowed to honor the memory of a woman she had never been privileged to meet. Her action was repeated almost immediately by another pink-suited girl, and then another, and then a very tall, handsome man, another with glasses, and finally every individual in the room.

In the silence that followed Lory smiled fondly, transferred to top half of the scroll to his other hand so that he could wipe his eyes, re-opened the document, and then continued reading, "In celebration of this most auspicious occasion, _our_ twenty-fifth anniversary, LME has leased a ski resort _entirely_ and _exclusively_ for the use of LME and special guests of our association. The Takaradas, grandfather and granddaughter, invite you all to come to Sapparo for an all-expense paid ski vacation, to begin on Saturday and to last for one full week during the Christmas holiday."

Everyone was still standing as they absorbed the news. Then, as the realization finally sunk in, everyone began cheering. Lory watched the celebration with a mixture of fondness and sadness as he remembered his wonderful mate. She loved each and every talent who signed with LME as if they were her own children. He was startled from his reverie when became aware of a slender pink figure standing in front of him, touching his hand. He looked down into Kyoko's tender expression as she said, "I never knew your wife, Mr. President, but everyone says that she was wonderful."

As he had many times in the past, Lory marveled at this interesting young lady who claimed to despise love, and who still knew how to show love in so freely and in so many different ways. He placed the scroll back on the tray and raised one large hand to ruffle Kyoko's hair. "I have no regrets, Mogami-san. Jun and I loved each other as deeply and truly as a man and woman can love. I wanted to grow old with her, but it wasn't meant to be. I will always cherish every moment that she and I shared." He looked fondly into Kyoko's sincere golden eyes, "I only hope that you will find a love who will allow you to experience what I experienced with Jun."

Kyoko's eyes lost their luster and Lory's heart ached as the life that usually animated her faded. Her mouth twisted slightly in rebuttal, but Lory stopped her reply with a finger on her lips, "Don't say it, Kyoko. I know that you have been hurt terribly in the past, but you are a person who deserves an epic love, and there is a man out there, right now, who is your destined mate. Don't allow the mistakes and the pains of the past to destroy your future."

Kyoko's rebellious expression faded to mere sadness and she nodded, though her face clearly showed that she didn't believe his words. Then she bowed and walked back over to join her two pink-suited partners. Lory scanned the room to find the tallest man. As he suspected, he saw Ren standing aloof, watching Kyoko's progress with an undisguised look of adoration. _Ren, you'd be a fool not to take advantage of this vacation to put your seal on that girl's heart. I can only hope that you will finally stop playing the coward and tell her how you feel._ He sighed, _Jun, I could really use your help with those two._

* * *

Three days later, after much scrambling on the part of the managers to clear schedules, LME descended on the airport en masse. Kyoko arrived in Ren's car, along with Yashiro. Ren had suprised her on the set of her new drama during lunch on the previous day. "Kyoko, I wanted to remind you that I'll be swinging by to pick you up tomorrow promptly at 7 a.m."

Kyoko had begun to protest that she could take a taxi, but Ren gave her one of his gentlemanly smiles, "Are you saying that you don't want a ride from me?"

"No! It's not _that_, Tsuruga-sempai… I just didn't want to incon…"

"Good; then it's settled. 7 a.m. sharp. Please be ready. Do you have everything you need for a winter vacation, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko acknowledged defeat on the issue of the ride and simply nodded, "Hai, sempai. I believe so." Her face was showing a mixture of resignation and pleasure which captivated Ren for a moment, leaving him speechless. Kyoko, not understanding his expression, and slightly unnerved, asked, "I-is there anything else, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren, suddenly aware that he had been staring, straightened up and looked quickly away. Only then did he realize that they had an audience. Almost the entire cast and crew of _Sakura Dreams_ was standing in the studio watching them. Alarmed lest he cause Kyoko any problems, he promptly said, "No, that was it. I'll see you in the morning."

Kyoko's co-stars watched Japan's Most Eligible Bachelor leave the set with awe. Almost immediately, as soon as he was out of the door, they began moving towards Kyoko to ask her questions. Thankfully Hagino Nozomi, Kyoko's temporary manager, got there first and quickly shepherded her young charge to a private area. "Kyoko, dear, I'm glad that Tsuruga-san enjoys your company, but… it would probably be better if you asked him not to come to the set. Rumors will start before either of you are ready for any public announcement."

Kyoko looked at her middle-aged manager with a look of incomprehension, until finally understanding dawned… albeit false-understanding. "Oh, you're saying that people will think that Tsuruga-san…" She raised her hand to her mouth in consternation, "That would be bad for him! Imagine them thinking that someone like Tsuruga-san would actually be interested in someone like me! Oh, the poor man!"

Nozomi quickly stepped forward before her young charge could collapse on the floor, "Kyoko, get yourself together. The shooting will resume in ten minutes and you need to go and get your makeup retouched." She rolled her eyes heavenward as Kyoko rushed to the makeup trailer. The president had warned her about the young lady's obtusiveness when it came to matters of love, but Nozomi could hardly believe it. _How could anybody not tell that she has that man wrapped around her little finger? The "Great" Tsuruga Ren looks at her like she's the one who tells the stars to shine in the sky at night._

On the following morning Nozomi was standing at the loading/unloading area as Ren pulled his sports car up to the valet parking. She moved forward to take Kyoko's luggage, but settled for handing Kyoko her ticket when Ren took firm possession of the girl's single suitcase. The other two LoveMe girls were standing at the check-in line when Kyoko saw them. Kanae tensed as she heard the siren-song she dreaded. "MOKO-SAN!" Kyoko was ready to hurl herself at her raven-haired best friend, but Kanae quickly placed a laughing Amamiya Chiori between herself and her attacker. "Mo, Kyoko, if you don't stop it you'll have airport security down on us. Now try to act normal for once and stop making a fuss."

Kyoko looked so teary-eyed and dejected that Kanae relented. She stepped around Chiori and stood with her arms out in front of her. Kyoko, seeing the gesture, quickly stepped forward and hugged her friend. Nozomi cleared her throat and gestured her head meaningfully at the line which had already moved ten feet forward. Chastened, the three girls closed the gap. Then the other two LoveMe girls turned and greeted Ren and Yashiro.

Not for the first time, Yashiro Yukihito noticed how beautiful Kotonami Kanae looked. She was dressed simply for travelling, in form fitting blue jeans and a soft, light blue sweater, yet she still looked stunning. As Ren talked with Kyoko and Yashiro tried to converse with Kanae, Chiori moved over to Nozomi and said, "Which of those guys do you think will declare their love first?"

The temporary manager shook her head, "I don't know. I feel sorry for both of them. One wouldn't recognize true love if it jumped up and bit her, while the other wants to put love on-hold for the next thirty years while she focuses on her career."

Chiori smiled conspiratorially, "Then maybe we'll just have to help them all along. It'll make this trip that much more interesting, wouldn't you say?" She regretted that her co-conspirator wouldn't be going along. Nozomi was a mother who had been forced to return to the work force due to divorce, and she couldn't afford to leave her children for so long. She was only acting as a manager temporarily until an office position became available.

**

* * *

**

Notes:

For those of you who are worried about it, I am currently writing the play for _The Shadow's Heart_. This story is just something that came to me while I was taking a breather. I will continue to work on the play, but I won't be submitting anything until the entire work is done, lest I get half-way an discover that I need to go back and change something. 


	2. Executive Interference

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 2 – Executive Interference**

Ashida Chieko, 2nd Executive Assistant to the President of LME, smiled triumphantly as she sipped on her Starbucks coffee and watched the tall Adonis making his way through the check-in line. She felt slightly irritated seeing his much smaller female shadow. The two of them gave off a relaxed, casual feeling as they moved through the slow-going line. _Enjoy your time with him now, Mogami-san. When we get on the airplane I'm going to be sitting next to him, and you're going to be somewhere in the back over the wing._

Chieko was what most people imagined if they were casting the role of a young, beautiful executive secretary. She was tall, long-legged, full-figured, and drop-dead-gorgeous. Most people, after first seeing her, automatically assumed that Takarada Lory had hired her for her looks… and possibly to fulfill any _special_ requirements. In truth, had the eccentric LME President shown any desire for her… company… then she would have made herself available. After all, she had joined LME for one reason, and one reason only: to find a rich, famous, handsome husband and then settle down into a life of luxury. That didn't mean that she wasn't good at her job; she would never have been hired as an executive assistant otherwise. But her goal was to hunt down her perfect man.

She had known that she had found her perfect man on her first day at work, as soon as Tsuruga Ren walked through the outer-office doors and asked to speak to the president. Never before in her life had she seen such a gorgeous man. She decided instantly that she had found her target. It should have been easy. After all, since the day she had turned thirteen she had always been the one trying to escape men's attentions. She had never once had to chase a man. All she ever needed to do was to show a little leg and a little interest; the rest was history.

It didn't work with Tsuruga Ren, however. Not only didn't he seem to be interested, he didn't even seem to see her as a woman. At first she had naturally assumed that the tall Adonis liked men… except that there were plenty of stories about him dating beautiful women up until two years ago. Then, for some strange reason, the man had turned into a monk; never dating anyone. There were no stories of dates, no sightings of the great actor with any beautiful women, and no scandals. Occasionally Chieko heard one ridiculous rumor going around that the Great Tsuruga Ren was actually beating his head against the wall trying to win over LME's token weirdo, Mogami Kyoko.

When Chieko first heard the rumor, she had laughed it off as utterly ridiculous. After all, why would the man who had his pick of the most beautiful women in Japan choose to pursue that plain, odd, pink-coveralled high school girl? It was so utterly ridiculous that it didn't even bear repeating. But then, slowly, Chieko had begun to question her first conclusion. First of all, it seemed that Mogami Kyoko was the only person, other than Ren's oddball manager, who had the guts to simply walk up to the famous actor whenever she chose. Secondly, there had been numerous and repeated sightings of Ren visiting the LoveMe section, or eating lunch with the pink freak, or even driving her around in his car. The only conclusion that Chieko could come up with was that that little freak had some sort of hold on the man… maybe like a little-sister type thing…

Well, it didn't matter for this trip, because Chieko had carefully pre-arranged the tickets so that she would be close to him and the freak would be far away.

The line moved once again and then it was Kyoko's turn at the counter. Ren stepped up beside her in front of the next attendant. The young female attendants looked up and both of them recognized Tsuruga Ren at the same time. While both were looking up, neither noticed as the keys on the keyboards started depressing completely on their own. By the time that Ren had calmed them down, signed autographs, and gotten the two ladies back on-task, the boarding passes were printing out. The attendants were too flustered at the moment to give the boarding passes a second glance. They reluctantly handed the passes over and prepared to serve the next people in line.

When it was Chieko's turn at the counter she confidently took her boarding pass without giving it a second glance.

"Onee-sama! Ren-sama!" A little blond doll rushed through the crowd to hurl herself at her two most-favorite people. Ren bent down just enough to catch the ruffled projectile and twirl her in the air. While she sat in Ren's bent arms Maria bent over to give Kyoko a hug. Ren tried his best not to flush as the little girl pulled her big sister close, almost turning it into a group hug. "I'm soooo glad that you can both make it! I was afraid that the whole week would be boring, but with both of you here I _know_ it will be fun!"

Ren laughed, hoping to extend the contact, but Kyoko felt his warmth and quickly stepped back, her face flushed.

Then Maria's smile fell a little and Kyoko sensed that something was bothering her imouto, "What's wrong, Maria-chan?"

Maria indicated that she wanted to get down and Ren obliged. Then Maria dragged Kyoko out-of-range of any other ears. Maria let her real feelings show now, "Onee-sama… I… I haven't flown before… ever since… because…"

Then Kyoko understood as if she were reading her little sister's mind, "Are you frightened because of what happened to your mother?" When Maria nodded, Kyoko pulled her close into a hug. "What if I sat next to you? Would you feel safer then?" Maria nodded enthusiastically. She was about to turn ten and she hated for anyone to think that she was being a baby about flying. Kyoko nodded decisively, "Okay then. Let's look at our boarding passes. I'm sure that your grandfather would help us to get the seating changed so that we can sit… oh wow, look at that! We're already sitting together. See, it's all taken care of."

Maria smiled naturally now, confident that she would feel safe as long as Kyoko was next to her. Then she dragged her big sister back over to where Ren and Yashiro were conversing. "Ren-sama, look: Onee-sama and I are going to sit together! Where will you be sitting?" Ren pulled out his boarding pass and they discovered that he was also sitting with them. Maria beamed. She would be sitting with her two favorite people and on the same row as her grandfather.

Kyoko found herself oddly elated at the news about Ren's seat as well, and it made her face feel warm. Quickly, before anyone should misinterpret her reaction, she excused herself and dragged Maria over to where Kanae and Chiori were conversing with several other young ladies.

Yashiro smirked at Ren, "How did you manage to arrange _that_, Ren?"

Ren maintained his placid demeanor despite the joy he felt at the seating arrangement, "I didn't have anything to do with it, Yashiro. We went up to the counter. They handed us our boarding passes. End of story."

Yashiro gave him a look that communicated suspicion, but he refrained from saying anything more. "Okay, Ren. Well, enjoy the flight."

* * *

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to take your seat." The male flight attendant said firmly. He had been asked to step in when the irate young lady refused to obey the female first-class attendant. "If you don't sit down I will have to escort you off of the airplane."

"But this isn't right! I _specifically_ arranged the seats so that _I_ would be sitting _right there_!" She pointed to the seat next to Ren, where a beautiful little blond girl was talking animatedly with the tall actor. "And _she_…" her finger indicated the slender young lady in the window seat, "Is supposed to be somewhere in the back!"

Chieko was standing in the attendant service area, just behind the cockpit, speaking through clenched teeth so that her angry words wouldn't carry over into first class. As angry as she was at the mix-up, she couldn't afford to tarnish her professional image with Takarada Lory sitting only five seats away from the area of conflict. "Look, just put me where I belong and put _her_ bag somewhere in baggage or something… I don't care."

"Ma'am," the attendant said with forced formality, "I have checked all of the boarding passes and they are exact and correct. Your boarding pass places you in second-class, in seat 42-C. Now, if you do not want me to call airport security and have you forcibly removed, you _will_ go now and take your seat. This is your final warning."

Ashida Chieko met the man's eyes and reluctantly understood that her situation was a lost cause. If she continued to make a scene, she would be kicked off of the flight. If that happened she would probably lose her job as well. She glared over at the little girl and the teen who were sharing a pleasant conversation with the man she intended to entrap. _Fine, Mogami Kyoko; you win this time, but don't think this is over. _She straightened her dressed, smoothing the skirt as she walked away from the male attendant with as much dignity as she could muster.

The man watched her go and shook his head. _Why are the really beautiful ones always so arrogant? _He glanced over at the young lady who seemed to be the object of the other's wrath, _Now she's cute. I can't believe that's Kyoko from Dark Moon! _He looked at the tall man who was sharing the row, _Yeah, him I know: Mr. Most Desirable Man. Kyoko is probably interested in him, but she's wasting her time. His type always go for the voluptuous model-types like that viper who just walked away. That's fine though; it clears the way for guys like me to meet real women like Mogami Kyoko._

Another person also watched the three people sitting there, and her expression was neither angry like Chieko nor desirous like the flight attendant. She just smiled affectionately, happy to see honest pleasure on the little girl who had gone through such a tough time for so long. She watched for a while as the airplane moved into position. Then she moved closer to Maria as the airplane began its take-off roll down the runway. Maria didn't see her there. Instead she concentrated on her grip on the hands of Ren and Kyoko. With them there she felt relatively safe. As the airplane left the ground and the landing gear retracted, she was able to smile again.

Poor Maria had been up all night, unable to sleep as the fear of flying assailed her mind and nerves. Now that she was in the air, safely nestled between her two protectors, she finally relaxed. Within minutes her eyes began to droop and her head began to sag. She heard, but didn't hear the voice in her head that often sang her to sleep. As the jet settled into cruising altitude, Maria's head made contact with Kyoko's shoulder. Kyoko, seeing her imouto in that position, lifted the armrest and allowed Maria's head to settle into her lap.

Ren looked over and saw the benign smile on Kyoko's lips as she stroked her little sister's golden curls. His heart throbbed in his chest as he imagined her doing the same thing with another child… their child. "You'll make a wonderful mother someday, Kyoko," he said without any conscious forethought. The words had simply sprung unbidden from his mouth, as if they belonged to someone besides himself. He grimaced immediately and tried to find any place to look besides Kyoko's perfect face.

Kyoko's eyes grew wide and her face flushed in embarrassment. Had Maria's sleeping head not been in her lap she might have fled to the bathroom or somewhere else. As it was she continued to sit there, red-faced, unable to look over at her sempai.

Takarada Jun smiled at the couple's discomfiture and then turned her attention to her sleeping granddaughter. As she continued to sing the lullaby that only Maria could hear, she wondered what she should do next to bring this stubborn couple together.

* * *

**Note:** Takarada Jun was dead to begin with. You must understand this, or nothing that follows will seem wondrous… Sorry, just re-watched Muppet Christmas Carol two days ago and I couldn't resist the reference.


	3. Unfinished Business

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 3 – Unfinished Business**

"Listen to this, Kanae-san," Amamiya Chiori said as she studied the screen of her laptop, "I found Takarada Jun's eulogy."

Kotonami Kanae, who had been watching the head of a certain very tall man three rows forward, gave Chiori a distracted, "Hmmm?"

"Kanae, stop staring. She'll be fine. It's not like he's going to attack her with little Maria between them and over two-hundred passengers on the plane." Chiori didn't know whether to giggle or smirk. For all of Kanae's denials and rebuffs of Kyoko's friendly affections, Chiori could tell that Kanae loved her best friend. She also suspected that there was a streak of jealousy lurking underneath those sapphire eyes, because whenever Ren and Kyoko were together, Kanae was distracted. "Of course, any minute now he'll reach that long arm of his across two seats so that he can drag Kyoko over and ravish her innocent lips."

"What!" Kanae whipped her head around to look at Chiori for the first time.

"Just kidding," Chiori said with a sing-song voice and wide, innocent eyes. "Now stop staring and listen to this."

"I wasn't staring," Kanae declared haughtily. "What is it that you're so excited about?"

"I found Takarada Jun's eulogy. It was given at the funeral by the American model/actress who married Hizuri Kuu, Julietta Swan. Listen to this:

_Tonight, when the sun goes down and the lights of Tokyo illuminate the night, they will be noticeably dimmer. Tomorrow, when the sun begins its daily journey into the sky, it will seem less bright. Today, at this moment, and perhaps for many moments to come, those of us who met and were given the privilege of knowing Takarada Jun will feel that some of the luster has gone out of the world with her departing._

_And yet, Jun would not thank us for dwelling on such maudlin thoughts. In fact, knowing her, she'd probably drag us out into the sunshine by one ear, or dash a glass of water in our faces, or pull out her violin and ask "should I play a melody for your little pity-party?" That is because Takarada Jun never allowed herself a moment of self-pity, and she never tolerated it from any of the hundreds, nay thousands of lives that she and Lory have touched. Jun was Japan's Pollyanna, always trying to make everyone see the bright side of life, always preaching "love."_

_Takarada Jun, born Hanari Jun, was a born meddler. Her brother tells us that she began dragging people, children and adult, home at the tender age of six. She saw an old man sitting each day at a bus stop, waiting for the child who had never come to visit. She dragged the poor, bewildered man home, told her mother to set an extra place at the table, and made the old gentleman feel like family. By the time that she was ten, her poor mother had made the habit of setting an extra place "just in case."_

_Jun was also a consummate matchmaker, even as a child. She believed in love and she believed that everyone should be "in-love," so she worked hard to make sure that everyone in her periphery was matched-up with someone. Her poor brothers cringed whenever they saw their little sister walking home with a new girlfriend; they were terrified that she would try to match the girl with one of them… which often happened. Perhaps they didn't mind too much, because she introduced all three brothers to the women who they eventually married._

_And then Jun met Lory. It is difficult to imagine two people in the world who epitomized love in the way that this couple has. She saw him first at a celebrity charity dinner. In her own words, "He was a talent agent at the time, but he outshone all of the stars he was supposed to be representing. He was gorgeous!" He obviously felt the same about Jun, because from the minute he saw her he was smitten, and he never let her far out of his sight from that day on._

_The marriage of Jun and Lory Takarada was a propitious day for Tokyo, for Japan, and for many of the three-thousand plus people who are attending this funeral today. That is because together this couple has touched more lives than can be fitted into this large convention center hall. They sponsored charities, they helped the homeless and the destitute, and they started organizations for the express purpose of getting people back on their feet. They also looked for promising talent. They sought out talented people from every walk of life, not just those who "fit the image." They looked at the people who nobody else would consider, and consequently they raised up several of the most-talented stars in the world today._

_My husband, Hizuri Kuu, who you also knew as Hozu Shuuhei, was one of those who this lovely couple found. He was driving a delivery truck during the day and getting in fights at night, until the Takarada's found him and dragged him back to Tokyo. It couldn't have been easy. Kuu will tell you that he was a real mess at the time, completely without any social graces or manners. Jun was unfazed. She treated him as if he was her own son and she disciplined him accordingly. And she loved him, just as she had so many others. Kuu tells me that, although Jun was actually only ten years his senior, she became the mother he never had._

_This is true for many of us. Takarada was the mother of everyone at LME, and many others besides. She was born for that role and she fulfilled her role with every breath, every spark of energy in her slender little body. That is why, although today is a sad occasion, it should also be a celebration. Nobody I have ever met ever lived life as fully as Takarada Jun. Nobody I know has ever found such joy, or given such love, as Jun. And nobody has more perfectly fulfilled her calling._

_Lory, I know that her absence will be difficult for you. She has been your other half, your perfect partner, and your shared love has been the light on the hillside that many of us have always looked to. But please remember Jun's final admonition for you: "I have lived a full and happy life because of you, and I can only be happy in my rest when I know that you are continuing to live the same."_

_Lory, we all love you dearly and care for you deeply. Now it is our turn, everyone in this hall and everyone whose life has been touched by you and your wonderful wife; now it is our turn to return that love to you. Please lean on us. We love you, just as we have loved her._

"Wow," Kanae said, not even bothering to hide the tear that ran down her cheek. "She must have been something special."

The lady in question wasn't hovering nearby to overhear the re-reading of her eulogy. Now that Maria was asleep she was kneeling in front of her husband, watching him sort through a sheaf of offers and contracts. For the trip he was dressed as a Viking King, complete with and bronze armor… the broadsword and shield were safely stowed in baggage. Jun watched his handsome face lovingly, but with a slight frown. She was still lingering there because of unfinished business: the aftermath of a love too strong. Unless she could do something about it, her wonderful life-mate would play out the remainder of his time without ever giving love another chance. It was tragic to her that a man who was made to love should choose to wallow in the past instead of opening his heart again. Jun looked at the seat next to Lory, and the tiny woman who was content to bask in the near proximity of her "Darling."

Jun and Jelly Woods had been friends from the moment they first met, even though Jelly had been eleven years her junior. They had found so much in common. They both loved the entertainment industry. They both worried about and cared for every single talent. They both loved makeup and dressing up. And they were both in love with the same man. Oh yes, Jun had been there when her tall, fiendishly handsome husband had first introduced himself to Jelly, and she had seen the young girl's reaction. Jelly had reacted in much the same way that Jun had when _she_ had first met Lory. Her eyes had grown large, her hands became damp, her chest had constricted, and her body had felt an impossible surge of electricity. She had sensed a similar reaction in Jelly; and as odd as it might seem, she didn't mind.

Jun knew that Lory was her man, and that he would never stray. He was a man as dedicated and steadfast in his love as any man could ever be. He loved her, and he made it clear in a thousand tiny ways each and every day. And yet, she couldn't blame Jelly for being drawn to the man. To begin with, it was a chemical/hormonal attraction… something that happens without any conscious decision or active intent… she couldn't hold that against the girl. Jelly, aware of her own reaction, loved her friend Jun and purposely stayed as far away from Lory as was possible. Sadly, for her, her feelings and his powerful attraction did not go away, and it made her feel horribly guilty. Unable to squash her feelings, she had been ready to leave LME until Jun pulled her aside and confronted the problem head-on, in the manner which only Jun could pull off.

"Jelly, I know you're in love with my husband." She had said, without any hint of accusation in her voice.

Jelly's face had crumbled, "I'm so sorry, Jun. I _tried _to kill the feelings, but I can't. I would never do anything to hurt you… and besides, your husband would never cheat… he's even perfect in that way. That's why I have to leave."

"Nonsense. If you're leaving because of me, then don't. I've known how you felt from the beginning, and I've seen how hard you've worked to change your heart. I don't blame you and I would hate to lose you as a friend."

In the end, Jelly had left, but they had parted as friends and agreed to stay in-contact. Which was why Jelly hadn't been surprised when Jun had phoned three years later and had asked to meet. It was a meeting which Jelly would remember tearfully for the rest of her life. "Jelly," Jun had begun speaking with an odd catch in her voice, "Jelly, I want you to come back to LME."

"Jun, you know why I can't do that. Please don't ask me to."

"I have cancer… and I'm not going to make it. I need you to come back and be there for him."

Jelly had come back, and Jun had told her husband the reason why. They had never kept any secrets from each other. "Wait a decent time, Lory, and then I want you to marry Jelly. She loves you, and I know that she'll take care of you. Promise me?" Lory had not kept his promise, but Jelly had remained devotedly by his side. Jun looked at them sadly now, and sighed.

She flinched as Kyoko looked up and scanned the first-class cabin. Jun knew that she always had to be careful around both Kyoko and Maria. They were more attuned to the spirit world than others. Jun loved this new addition to LME, and not only because of what Kyoko had done for her granddaughter. Kyoko was like her, and like her husband. She was born to love deeply, devotedly, and unselfishly. Unfortunately she had attempted to give that love to those who were undeserving, and she had been hurt terribly. Jun could see the real Kyoko inside of the shattered shell, struggling to get out and greet the world again. Kyoko had already found the one person who was truly worthy of her love, but he was just as broken; and so, while the two had found each other, neither would allow themselves to take that final step.

Jun looked away from Kyoko and back at Lory. _Perhaps, _she thought_, in helping Kyoko, I can give my husband a push as well. Hang in there, Jelly. Don't give up hope yet, my old friend._

Ren looked over at Kyoko as she looked around. They hadn't said a word to each other since his odd slip at the beginning of the flight. "Is something wrong, Mogami-san? You seem to be looking for someone."

Kyoko was distracted enough that her former embarrassment was forgotten, "I thought that I heard something. Oh well, nevermind." She turned to look at Ren and asked enthusiastically, "Are you a good skier, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren smiled, glad that the tension had finally dissipated, "I am; I've been skiing since I was around five years old. I also love to snowboard. How about you?"

Kyoko flinched, regretting that she had started this particular train-of-conversation, "I've never been. I was supposed to, once… but…" Despite herself, she remembered back to when she and Fuwa Sho had first moved to Tokyo. He had a concert scheduled at the Hokkaido Winterfest, and he had promised to take her so that she could enjoy the snow. Then he had backed out and claimed that he couldn't take her because Akitoki Agency might be suspicious of their relationship. Later she had discovered that his real reasons for leaving her behind had been a certain well-endowed redhead.

Ren saw Kyoko's face change and he sensed the darkness that was beginning to surround her. After two years spent close to her he knew that she was probably thinking about something _else_ that punk Fuwa Sho had done to her. He felt himself becoming angry, but suddenly a voice spoke in his head: _Don't, Ren. At times like this she needs you. Distract her. Talk about something else._

Confused, but chastened, Ren reached across Maria's prone, sleeping form and laid a hand on Kyoko's, "Mogami-san, if you're willing to trust me, I would be happy to teach you how to ski or snowboard."

Kyoko felt his large, warm hand on hers and it yanked her out of her angry reverie. She trembled slightly, but didn't pull away as she turned and looked at him, "Oh, Tsuruga-san, I'm sorry… I wasn't asking you to teach me. You shouldn't have to waste your vacation trying to teach a no-talent novice like me. You should spend your time…"

"Kyoko-chan," Ren interrupted, deliberately using her given name and thrilled that she hadn't pulled away yet, "Am I, or am I not, your Sempai?" As much as he hated the title, he saw an advantage to it at that moment.

Kyoko gulped, becoming more and more aware of the large hand on hers. She tried to gently pull away, but Ren responded by curling his fingers around her slender hand, capturing it. "H-hai," she nodded to reinforce her acknowledgment.

"Good. Then that means that it's my job to tutor you," his voice was soft, deep, and caressing, "and it's your job to listen. I _would be honored_ to be the one to teach you how to ski. It would be _my pleasure_. Don't forget…" and with this he leaned over so that only she could hear him, "… you _are_ my little sister."

Ren's warm breath smelled of mouthwash, and Kyoko flushed as it sent little electric shocks through her body… very un-sibling-like shocks. Ren sat back up, confident that he had won his point. Reluctantly he released her hand, afraid that she would get frightened away if he did any more. Had he looked down at that moment he might have changed his mind, because her hand involuntarily followed his after he pulled away.

Kyoko became aware of her action and quickly pulled her hand back, shocked at her reaction. She set her hand on top of Maria's golden locks. She had to put the other hand over it in order to stop it from twitching… or reaching back over to reclaim his hand. At the moment her thoughts were far from sisterly. Lately Kyoko was becoming more and more aware that her sempai was a man… a very real, a very large, a very handsome, and a very _masculine_ man. It made her feel guilty because she knew that she was violating her _sempai/imouto_ relationship by entertaining such thoughts… but such thoughts continued persistently.

Ren was also very aware of his hand… the hand that had held hers… the hand that had enjoyed her soft, delicate, warm hand… the hand that wanted to reach back and reclaim that fleeting moment and make it permanent. _Control yourself, _he chided silently, _You'll frighten her and then she'll stay away from you during the whole vacation._

The flight time from Tokyo to Sapporo is only about 90 minutes, depending upon wind and air traffic. While the two young people were still struggling with their own fears and feelings, the captain's voice came over the system to announce that they would soon begin their descent.

Jun watched the couple with amusement, confident that she could make this match happen within the next seven days.

* * *

**Notes:** Thank you for all of the encouraging reviews. I'll try not to disappoint.

Some readers might be turned away by what I wrote concerning Jelly Woods. Please don't be. I actually know of two separate instances where a dying person chose someone for her soon-to-be-widowed mate. It doesn't just happen on television. Anyway, it would explain why Jun is lingering.


	4. Green Eyed Monsters

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 4 – Green-Eyed Monsters**

Jelly Woods stood close to her "Darling" and watched as the members of LME filed out of the airplane. She smiled and returned Mogami Kyoko's bow as she filed out hand-in-hand with Maria, followed closely by Tsuruga Ren. Jelly smiled a secret smile as she watched the couple whom Lory referred to as his "biggest long-term project."

Jelly felt closely connected to both young people. Since the night of his arrival in Japan, seven years ago, Jelly had been taking care of Tsuruga Ren's hair. She was one of the very few people who knew his secret, and his true name. During all of those years she had watched him grow from a somber, disturbed teen into Japan's Top Actor and Most Desirable Man. And despite the changes in his status, he was always polite, and always a gentleman to Jelly.

Mogami Kyoko was the little sister Jelly never had. From a very early age Jelly had been fascinated with make-up and costumes. If she had a little sister, she would probably have driven the poor girl mad with all of the alterations Jelly wanted to try. Sadly there had been no little sister so Jelly had to settle for working on entertainers. She liked the job, but she didn't always like the entertainers. Many of them were rude and arrogant beyond their worth. Mogami Kyoko, on the other hand, was almost excessively polite and humble. She possessed another quality that made Jelly love her: no matter what Jelly tried, Kyoko made it look good. The girl was amazing, like a blank canvass; a living, breathing mannequin. It wasn't just _how_ she looked either… it was the way that she _became_ someone else each time. She was every make-up artist's dream.

As the crowd thinned, Jelly saw another person step out and she had to suppress a growl. If Mogami Kyoko was her favorite talent, Ashida Chieko was the person she despised the most. As a make-up artist, Jelly had experienced more than her share of self-important, ridiculous and arrogant people; the entertainment industry was replete with that type. They were annoying, true, but Jelly knew how to deal with them.

Ashida Chieko was a different story. She was a snake in the grass… or perhaps a black widow. She was someone who was looking for a wealthy man to entrap, and she didn't care who she hurt to achieve her goals. Jelly had spoken of this to Darling, but Lory was the type of man who gave everybody a chance. Having no clear evidence to support her gut feeling, Jelly had chosen to adopt a wait-and-see approach. She watched as the disgruntled looking lady left the plane and scanned the room. The lady's eyes were predatory when she located Tsuruga Ren, standing with Kyoko and Maria among a group of friends. _If he's the one you're stalking, Ashida-san, you're wasting your time._

Jelly sighed and wished that Jun was still around. Together they had dealt with more than one woman of Ashida Chieko's type. _I miss you, Jun. I miss you and I've failed to keep my promise… He doesn't want me._

* * *

They all met up again at the private transport door. The checked luggage was being handled by the resort so all that was left was to wait for buses. Amamiya Chiori, Momose Itsume, and Kotonami Kanae walked up to Maria and her two escorts together.

"Well, Kyoko-san, I see that you're all in one piece," Chiori said jokingly, nudging Kanae.

Kyoko tilted her head, "Of course I am. Airplane travel is safer than travelling by car… Besides, you were on the same plane."

Chiori had a twinkle in her eye as she said, "Oh, we weren't worried about the airplane, Kyoko-san. Kanae was more worried about the big, bad wolf."

Kyoko looked alarmed, "Don't tell me that Takarada-sama brought wolves along. Maria, did he say anything to you about it?"

Maria giggled, "Nope, no wolves. He was talking about bringing along his reindeer, but Sebastian and Jelly talked him out of the idea."

Meanwhile Ren was listening in on the conversation with curiosity until he met Kanae's hard eyes. It was then that he realized the _he_ was the big, bad wolf Kanae was worried about. He gave the raven-haired beauty a half-hearted smile which she didn't return. He was about to say more, until Yashiro walked up, "The buses are here."

As they stepped out to board the vehicles, they gave a collective gasp. It has only been snowing lightly when they arrived, but now it was coming down in huge, swirling flakes. Ren glanced over at Kyoko knowingly and was captivated. She was in her own fantasy world, dancing in the snow with her arms spread wide and her honey-golden eye sparkling. "If you're just playing with her, I'll cut your entrails out and string them down the streets of Sapporo," a menacing voice growled at a level that couldn't be overheard by the others.

Startled, Ren turned his head to meet Kanae's eyes. This time his smile wasn't half-hearted; it was sincere and warm. "Hurting her is the last thing in the world that I would ever want to do, Kotonami-san. If she ever opens up her heart to me, I would guard it with my life." It was the most that Ren had ever said to anyone about his feelings for Kyoko, but at that moment he felt the need to be straightforward. Kotonami Kanae was a very important person to Kyoko, and he could now see that the reverse was also true.

Ren might have even felt released and happy about his confession if he hadn't turned around to find a disturbing scene. Kyoko was no longer alone in the snow. She had been joined by Maria, of course, and three young men. The five young people were engaged in a laughing, teasing snowfight. Rather than take the time to make snowballs, they were scooping the light powder off the ground and into the air as if they were splashing water in a pool. Kyoko's eyes were glowing and she was quite obviously relaxed with these three men. Ren felt his face flushing, not with joy, but with jealousy. This was not the first time that he had noticed how friendly Kyoko was with the Bridge Rock group. _How do they know each other so well? _

Beside Ren, Kanae gave a slightly malicious giggle. Ren turned away from the disturbing scene to find her eyeing him gleefully, "Don't think you can have it all your way, Tsuruga-san. Kyoko attracts a lot of attention these days… a lot of male attention."

Ren felt his old self taking over, and then he forced it down. This vacation was for fun, and he wanted Kyoko to enjoy herself… of course he wanted all of her fond memories to include him. With that thought in mind, he turned back towards the scene. He wasn't quite fast enough, however, because as he turned he got a momentary glimpse of mischievous golden eyes before his face was engulfed in snow. Spluttering, he quickly brushed off his face to find Kyoko standing in front of him, a mixture of fear and remorse in her eyes.

Kyoko had scooped up a pile of show to throw at her playmates, but finding them all engaged, she had looked for a new target. The largest and most prominent target was only five feet from her, and she moved without thinking. Even as the snow engulfed Tsuruga Ren's face, she realized her mistake. She stood there in shock, ready for the Demon Lord to emerge from behind the icy snow. Kyoko shuffled her feet and wringed her hands in chagrin, until her sempai suddenly surged forward, grasping her by her tiny waist and throwing her effortlessly over his shoulder. She tried to push away, but those fingers were dancing on her sides, tickling her and making her writhe. Then, just as suddenly as she had been thrown over his shoulder, she found herself plummeting down into a snowdrift. Now it was her turn to splutter and wipe her face.

When she had cleared her vision, it was to encounter Ren's eyes, only they didn't look like his eyes. They were laughing eyes, full of fun and mischief. He smiled down on her with one of those melting smiles while offering a hand. Even as she reached for it, she saw Maria flying high into the air, lifted by Shinichi. Before Kyoko could warn Ren, Maria brought two handfuls of snow down on his head. The battle was on again and more people joined in. Chiori even managed to drag Kanae in by pointing to a certain bespectacled manager who stood on the sidelines, looking entirely too dry.

By the time that Lory, Jelly, and Sebastian stepped out of the terminal, most of the talents and managers in LME had joined the fray. Lory watched with glee as Kyoko snuck up behind Ren and jumped on his back so that she could rub snow on his face. Ten months ago she would never have dreamed of such an action, but her time spent as Cain's spoiled sister had given her the freedom to interact with her tall sempai in ways she never imagined. Lory saw the faces of his two most difficult LME children and smiled. _They're making progress… slow progress, to be sure, but progress nonetheless._

Jelly's attention was elsewhere. She was watching Ashida Chieko's face slip from her usual urbane expression into her true self… something akin to the Wicked Witch of the North.

Tired, wet, and wonderfully relaxed, the LME crowd piled into the waiting buses and headed off toward their final destination: Grand Hirafu, the largest of the resorts on the Niseko-Annepuri Mountain. The snow continued unabated during the trip, but it was lighter so that everyone was able to appreciate the stunning views. Kyoko sat with Kanae, with Momose and Chiori in front of her and Maria and Ren in back. Though Ren would have liked to sit with her, he also appreciated the fact that his position allowed him to watch Kyoko's face without making her nervous.

While Maria was distracted talking to Jelly Woods, Yashiro, seated one row back, leaned forward and said, "Your face is slipping, Ren. If you're not careful, everyone in Sapporo will know how you feel." Ren grimaced and tried to school his expression, until Chiori said something that made Kyoko blush and giggle. _Oh Lord, she's beautiful. _He gave up then, realizing that he couldn't win this battle. _I'm going to have to say something soon, or I'll frighten her off with my idiotic grins._

* * *

The drive was mercifully short. Takarada Lory, hoping to prevent too much fan interference, has reserved a resort hotel completely for five days. Everyone disbursed to their rooms to change into dry clothing, or more importantly, to change into ski clothing. A feast had been laid on in the dining room and everyone began trickling back down to enjoy it. Kyoko arrived with her friends in tow, laughing and joking about a story Momose Itsumi told about her first drama. Her attention seemed to be on her friends, but her eyes immediately began scanning the room.

Kyoko saw Yashiro, but she didn't see the taller half of the team. Excusing herself, she walked up to him and asked, "Yashiro-san… where's Tsugura-san?"

Yashiro knew that Ren had chosen to take a hot shower before coming down, but he saw an opportunity here that he didn't want to pass up. He gave a long-suffering sigh, "You know Ren, Kyoko-chan. He is probably lying down in his room, skipping lunch."

As he predicted, Kyoko frowned and said, "That… _man_ is the most… fine, I'll make sure he eats." With a determined look, Kyoko turned on her heels and marched to the buffet line. As Yashiro watched from his vantage point, he couldn't suppress a fangirl giggle as he saw the plate in Kyoko's hand grow heavy with food. "What's with the giggle? You sound like an idiot, Yashiro-san."

Yashiro gulped and turned slowly around to find the beautiful raven-haired Kanae scowling at him. Despite his former glee, he was quick to hide his thoughts from her, well aware of the fact that Kanae was jealous of Ren's progress with her best friend. "Hello, Kotonami-san. I apologize… I just… thought of something funny. Anyway, how do you like the hotel?"

Kanae looked at the chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling and grimaced, "Our president never does anything by halves, does he?"

Yashiro could tell that Kanae had only stopped long enough to make the one biting comment, but he wanted to keep her around longer if he could. "I never asked: Do you ski?"

"I don't. I've never been any place where I could learn to ski." Kanae felt defensive, not wanting to admit that her family was dirt poor due to foolish decisions.

Yashiro sensed her irritation on the issue and promptly tried to change the subject, "Well, if you've never skied, then this is the week to learn. Someone as graceful as you will probably learn easily." Yashiro suddenly colored as he realized that he had casually complimented Kanae, the young woman who both attracted and terrified him. He waited for a biting retort from her, but instead he met her eyes and was startled to see something else… a speculative look that made his spine tingle.

* * *

Tsuruga Ren turned off the shower and stretched muscles tense from frustration and restraint. Unlike many hotels in Japan, this one gave a strong, hot stream and it left him feeling exhilarated. That was good because it gave his mind a momentary distraction. He grabbed a towel and attacked his hair vigorously before moving down to his face, neck, and shoulders. Now that the shower was no longer a distraction, his thoughts drifted back to subject that was dominating his mind. His memory replayed the scene outside of the airport, and Kyoko frolicking happily with the Bridge Rock men. He was reminded of Kanae's words, "Don't think you can have it all your way, Tsuruga-san. Kyoko attracts a lot of attention these days… a lot of male attention."

He groaned. On one hand he had held off from declaring himself for fear of driving Kyoko away. On the other hand it was obvious that other men were also becoming interested. Even Hidejito Kijima, who had previously shown no interest, had commented on how much Kyoko had changed recently. _I need to move soon, or I may be too late. _Just the thought of _his_ Kyoko in another man's arms made his blood…

He was startled out of his angry thoughts by an imperious knock on the door. He hadn't pulled out any fresh clothing, so he simply wrapped a towel around his waist and walked to the door. He opened the door a crack, "Hello?"

"Tsuruga-semppaaai," a frustrated voice growled. Ren heard the same tone of voice that he had become used to with Setsu, so he reacted without thinking, stepping back and allowing the door to swing open. Over the course of three months that he and Kyoko had acted as the Cain siblings they had become increasingly comfortable with each other.

Kyoko, however, was not in Setsuko-mode. The sight of her nearly-naked sempai standing in the doorway created an instant surge of blood to her face. Ren, saw this and realized his mistake. Scrambling his mind for a solution, he decided to adopt Cain anyway, "What can I do for you?"

Kyoko caught the attitude in his voice and it acted as a pavlovian reflex… in an instant she _became_ Setsu. "Brother, you were trying to skip lunch, weren't you?"

Gratified that his gambit had worked, Ren turned casually and headed towards his suitcase to choose clothing, "I decided that I needed a shower first. I'll grab something as soon as I'm _dressed_." He emphasized the last word to encourage Kyoko to reassess the situation and leave. It wasn't that he was embarrassed; it was just that Kyoko's presence in his hotel room while he was in his present condition was giving him several inappropriate thoughts. He needed her to leave before his control slipped and he acted on his impulses.

It didn't work. Ren heard the door close and he glanced back to find Kyoko setting several trays of food on the small coffee table. "I can just imagine what you'll _grab_, Tsuruga-san; onigiri, or a piece of toast, no doubt. That's why I chose food for you, and I'm not leaving until I've seen you eat properly."

Ren sighed in resignation. If there was one point he would never win against Kyoko, it was the issue of what she called "an acceptable, nutritious meal." In all other areas she was ridiculously humble and self-effacing, but in the area of Ren's eating habits she was a like a governess; she could not be turned away from her task. Ren held his towel in place and used his other arm to throw his suitcase on the bed, unzip it, and rummage through his clothing. Finding a satisfactory selection, he started to walk toward the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Kyoko asked, suspicious that Ren was still trying to avoid eating.

Ren turned and looked at Kyoko. "I'm going into the bathroom to finish dressing…" his face morphed into the Emperor of the Night, "…unless you'd prefer that I drop my towel right here?"

Kyoko's stern look instantly fell and she flushed from the tip of her head to her toes. "N-no, youshoulddefinitelygoand changeinthebathroom!"

Ren was momentarily captivated by Kyoko's cute, blushing face. For a few seconds he entertained the idea of carrying out his threat and then gathering Kyoko up in his arms and… _Idiot! Do you want to scare her all of the way back to Tokyo?_ He turned quickly and completed his journey to the bathroom, closed the door quickly, and began dressing.

Little did he know that Kyoko was in the other room, mumbling curses to herself about lost opportunities. She still hadn't completed her newest Ren doll… the one which she had revised after months in close proximity with Cain Heel… the one that was still _slightly_ incomplete. It was odd that Kyoko felt such a strong desire to make her newest version so completely accurate. She had never had such thoughts before and even now she avoided examining her reasons. Never before, even with Shoutaro, had she entertained such feelings.

* * *

Ashida Chieko carefully scanned the dining area and the lobby, making sure that she had located Tsuruga Ren's manager before turning and pushing the button for the elevator. Safely alone, she allowed herself a feline smile. She had made a careful study of Tsuruga Ren's habits. She knew that he often avoided meals, choosing instead to rest in his dressing room or trailer. That meant that at this moment he was probably alone in his hotel room…

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Like a huntress she slinked down the hall towards his door, already confident of her victory. As she walked her hand worked loose the top two buttons of her blouse; just enough to draw the eye, but not enough to make her seem easy. Tsuruga Ren was assuredly an experienced lover, and though she wanted to seduce him today, she also wanted to leave the door open for a more permanent attachment. Room t_hree forty three. There it is. _She smoothed her hands over her blouse and skirt, making minor unnecessary adjustments, and then she knocked politely.

Inside she sensed rather than heard movement coming toward the door. She braced herself, ready with her best seductive smile as the door opened. Only… as she looked up her eyes didn't meet the eyes of her quarry. Slowly, unsure, her eyes moved down to meet a pair of suspicious, startlingly golden eyes. "May I help you, Ashida-san?" Mogami Kyoko said cautiously.

Taken aback, Chieko moved her mouth soundlessly for a moment before finding her voice and foolishly asking, "What… are you doing here? Isn't this Tsuruga Ren's room?"

Kyoko, who had become used to living with Ren as his Heel-sibling, had risen from the table and answered the door without a second thought. Now her mind was rapidly shifting through a myriad of conflicting thoughts as she realized that she had just put her sempai in a compromising position. Thankfully her current drama had her acting as Kimura Nariko, a young rookie lawyer, and she slipped into that character now. "I might ask you the same thing, Ashida-san. Tsuruga-san is currently occupied. If you have some information for him I'll be happy to pass it on?"

Kyoko didn't actively dislike many people, but she disliked Ashida Chieko. The executive secretary reminded her somewhat of a mix between her middle-school tormenters and her mother. The woman projected a professional image, but Kyoko could sense something feral and dangerous inside. In a way, this woman was the grown-up version of her Natsu. What bothered Kyoko the most, though she didn't quite understand the reason, was the fact that Chieko always seemed to be watching Tsuruga Ren.

Chieko had never actually seen Kyoko in any other role but Mio, so she was startled at this sudden transformation into a calm and confident professional. She felt out of her element, which only made her feel more irritated, and she would have made a biting retort except... just at that moment, Tsuruga Ren opened his bathroom door while buttoning his shirt. "Kyoko, was there a knock at the door?"

Kyoko almost fell out of character when she heard Ren's casual, almost affectionate use of her given name. She felt her spine tighten and her heart race, but she pushed back any reaction before it could become visible. She allowed Nariko to slip to the forefront as she casually turned sideways and said, "Ren, I think Ashida-san has a message from the President."

Ashida felt her cheeks flush with anger at the suggestion, spoken so nonchalantly, that she was nothing more than an errand girl. She looked away from those golden eyes to meet the eyes of the most handsome man she had ever seen. His eyes, normally warm and brown, were cold as he looked at her. He didn't say a word; he merely finished buttoning his cuffs and raise an eyebrow as he waited for the message. _That little….! He actually believed her! As if I…_

Chieko's angry thoughts were halted when Mogami Kyoko walked toward the table and said, "Ren, perhaps you can listen to the message while you eat?" Chieko was startled to note the air of command in the question. She was even more startled when the handsome actor meekly walked to the table and took the seat _that that little freak_ had pointed to. When he sat, Mogami Kyoko gracefully took the other chair, crossing her legs at the ankle in a professional manner and then echoing the tall actor's raised eyebrow with one of her own… and she did it all with a tolerant, almost condescending smile.

Chieko was seeing red now. Not only had she been foiled in her plan… not once, but _twice_, but now that plain, insignificant little tart was treating _her_, the Assistant Executive Secretary, like a _mere_ errand girl. _I'm not going to let her treat me that way! I'll… _Chieko stopped herself. Showing her temper would be giving away the game. Instead she made her voice soft and caressing as she said, "Nevermind… _Ren. _I'll talk to you later… when we can talk in private." Then she turned and quickly moved out of the room so that she was left with the last word.

As she stomped down the hallway, her mind raged, _That little… Just give me a chance, once chance, to get that little freak alone and we'll see who's smiling then! _Yet even as she stalked away, another thought persisted: _I underestimated that girl. She and Tsuruga Ren are much closer than I'd realized._

Meanwhile, back in Ren's room, a tumultuous flood of unspoken thoughts swirled around the room.

_What does she mean "later"? Why is she coming to Tsuruga Ren's room? She… she came to his room dressed like that, with two buttons undone and that expectant look on her face. Is that the type of girl he likes? _There was a curious pain in Kyoko's chest at that thought. _She has everything! She's tall, and gorgeous, and she has the type of body that… that Shoutaro always drooled over. _Kyoko felt her own inadequacy. Even though she was not setting out to attract men, it hurt to think that she could never compete with someone like _that._

Oddly, another voice, not her own, spoke into her head and said, _Not all men are the same, Kyoko-chan. Did Ren give you any indication that he was even interested in that… woman?"_

Ren's own thoughts were also swirling as he watched Kyoko's face change from thought-to-thought. _Is Kyoko mad at me for using her given name so casually? I heard Ashida-san at the door and I needed a way to drive her off... even if it wasn't fair to Kyoko. Was she upset about that woman coming to my room? Of course not! A few minutes ago I was standing in front of her practically naked and she still didn't see me as a man. What a pain: a woman I despise won't leave me alone, and the woman I love won't recognize me as a man._

An all-too-familiar male voice invaded Ren's reverie. _Don't be so sure, Kuon. Not only did she play along, but she had a little spitting match with that woman. Surely you saw it? Test her out; see if she isn't jealous._

Kyoko, still puzzling over the question posed by that reoccurring female voice, looked up at Ren and tried to read his face. As soon as their eyes met, Ren spoke softly. "Thank you, Mogami-san… and I apologize."

Kyoko tried to decipher her sempai's words, but failed. Ren, seeing her eyebrows furrowing so cutely, smiled, "What I mean is: thank you for shielding me from that harpy, and I'm sorry for using your given name so casually without your permission."

Somehow Ren's characterization of Ashida Chieko made Kyoko's heart surge, "Th-then… umm… you weren't expecting her? You... you aren't interested in her?" Despite herself, Kyoko blushed as her hands clenched together.

Then it was Ren's turn to feel his chest tighten. _Was Kyoko actually jealous? _His right hand move, almost of its own volition, and covered her two hands, "Mogami-san, you can't really believe that I'd be interested in someone like _her_? Not when I already have someone I care about?"

Unfortunately, Kyoko filtered his words through her own clogged psyche, and all she heard was that her mentor wasn't interested in Ashida Chieko… the second sentence basically slipped away. "Okay," Kyoko said, feeling unexplainably better, "I was afraid that you might not be able to see how… um… devious she is… considering her… endowments."

Ren could tell that his confession had slipped through the cracks, but he wasn't surprised. At least she was still sitting there, talking to him. That was enough for now. _Two more days, Kyoko. Two more days and you'll be eighteen. When that happens, I'm not holding back. If I have to tie you down and confess one-hundred-thousand times until you will listen, I will._

* * *

**Notes:** I apologize for the long chapter. Also, I'm sorry for the long delay on this story. It was originally supposed to be started and finished as a Christmas story, but I got sidetracked by other ideas and by life in-general.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, alerted, or made this story a favorite. Your support is always appreciated.


	5. Bunny Slopes and Beautiful Blondes

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 4 – Bunny Slopes and Beautiful Blondes**

The snow finally abated in the early afternoon, so everyone dressed in their snow gear and headed for the slopes. Once again Kyoko tried to release Ren from his obligation to teach her to ski, but he shut her down with one glimpse of the Demon Lord. "So, you're really going to reject your _sempai's_ help even though you _know_ that it will hurt his feelings?" Kyoko flinched and began to kneel in apology, but Ren quickly schooled his expression into something more affectionate… which was just as disturbing to Kyoko.

Grand Hirafu is the largest of the Niseko resorts, and it boasts the most runs, including an easily accessible beginner run at the bottom of the mountain. Another thing which makes Hirafu unique is that the majority of the guests are foreigners… a feature which is especially appealing to Japanese celebrities who want to ski without being recognized. Nevertheless, Jelly was very busily employed for several hours providing slight alterations, wigs, and fake facial hair so that the more popular LME stars could fly under the radar.

Jelly pulled Kyoko in shortly after the girl and her tall companion joined the others in the lobby. "Jelly-sama, I hardly need a disguise! I'm a nobody!"

Ren and Lory had just walked in, and Lory was the quickest to protest, "Mogami-san, have you been reading _any_ of the celebrity reports that I've been sending down to the LoveMe room?" He was dressed in animal furs, and a strange tall hat that looked like a picture that Kyoko had seen of Attila the Hun.

Kyoko grinned happily, "Hai, Takarada-sama, I have! Moko-san is now number twelve on the female actresses list, and Chiori-san has moved up as well!"

Lory rolled his eyes, "And your own ranking, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko blushed, "I… I don't know? I never really worry about those things, just as long as I have work."

Ren chuckled and sat on the couch, stretching out his ridiculously long legs. Kyoko forgot Jelly and the president as she measured those legs in her mind. She didn't know why, but she really liked how long they were, and the way…

"Mogami-san!"

Kyoko jumped and looked back at the eccentric older man, "Hai?"

"I said: You have jumped seven spots. You are now ranked as number eleven for Japanese actresses. You are also ranked number nine for teen idols, and number one for most-promising newcomers." Lory listed the rankings off from memory, much like the doting pseudo-father that he was. He waited expectantly for Kyoko's excited outburst… which never came.

"Oh… they must be mistaken. Shouldn't Moko-san be higher than me? After all, she's a really talented actress. She's beautiful, and graceful. She can dance and sing and she has a photographic memo…"

Lory groaned and slammed a heavy boot on the table while Ren just laughed. The frustrated executive looked at his Number One LoveMe girl with despair in his eyes, "Mogami-san, don't you even care about your own ranking? Do you understand that it takes most people _years_ just to break into show business, much less reach your ranking?"

Kyoko tried to sit still for Jelly while waving dismissively at the same time, "Oh, that's not because of me. I've only been successful because I joined the best talent agency in Japan, and I have the best and most talented friend ever, and I have the best sempai in the world…" Kyoko blushed at her last statement as she realized that she had said that in front of Tsuruga Ren.

Lory huffed and slumped in his seat, but Ren tapped him with an imperious gesture. Scowling at the younger man, Attila pulled his wallet out of the fur lining of his tall hat and extracted a 10,000 yen note. The exchange was unseen by Kyoko because she was in the middle of singing Moko-san's praises to Jelly with stars in her eyes. Despite losing his bet with Ren, Lory still looked on his most interesting talent with great fondness.

Although Kyoko didn't know it, she was a prodigy. With a little work and confidence, she could transform herself into any character that was thrown at her. In the past two years Lory had deliberately looked for opportunities to throw Mogami Kyoko into more and more challenging situations. More often than not she reacted first with consternation and fright. But always, after crying on her best friend's shoulders and seeking her "sempai's" guidance, she would bounce back and thrill her director's and co-stars with a stellar performance. At first Lory had kept a close eye on the girl; fearing, as often occured, that she would become full of herself and egotistical. It never happened.

In fact, if Lory had anything to complain of in that respect it was that Kyoko was completely oblivious to her own celebrity status. Not only was she oblivious, but she didn't seem to care in the least. When Ren had heard that Lory wanted her to be disguise, he had offered a bet: "I will bet you that Kyoko won't know how popular she is, and if you tell her, she either won't believe you or won't care."

Ren wanted to watch Jelly work on Kyoko, but he was too distracted. His turn was next, and he had made a decision that could backfire in a major way. Lory had argued against it, but Ren was determined.

* * *

Shouko Aki shook her charges shoulder for the fourth time. Their plane had landed and now it was time to debark, but he continued to pretend to be asleep. She was getting annoyed because Fuwa Sho had slipped into spoiled-brat mode once again. He had requested, nay demanded, that Shouko find a way to enlist Mogami Kyoko for his Christmas Rock Concert in Sapporo. She had tried, despite her own concerns: first, she doubted that Kyoko would ever consent to performing with Sho again. Second, she was afraid that disaster would ensue if she could bring them together. In the end it didn't matter anyway. LME had rebuffed every attempt, explaining that Kyoko wouldn't be available for any new work until after the New Year. When Sho had thrown another fit, Shouko tried one last time before their scheduled departure, this time going directly to LME. What she found was a ghost-town. Even the receptionists were different than the usual, and nobody was talking.

Still, it was ridiculous for Sho to continue to sit there, pouting, and blaming her. She wanted to slap the little punk around, but she knew that if she did he would probably disappear altogether and miss his opening night. "Sho, you have a whole line of fans waiting for you to come out. If you don't get up now, I'm going to get off this airplane and you can find yourself a new manager."

It wasn't the first time she had made that threat in recent months. Sho, instead of maturing, seemed to be slipping further back into childhood, and she was becoming sick of it. Not only that, but his general attitude towards women had steadily declined. It had been bad enough to sit by and watch the way that he had treated Mogami Kyoko on the day that they had parted ways. It had been worse to hear him talk about the rising starlet as if he "owned" the girl, regardless of her feelings or needs. But things had been worse since it became increasingly clear that Kyoko's star was rapidly rising and that she had no further need for her childhood "prince." Now his treatment of her and of the other women he encountered was completely unacceptable.

Something that she said must have worked. Either that or Sho had become tired of pretending sleep. Regardless of the reason, Sho stretched out his long legs and stood. Without a backward glance at Shouko Aki, he put his hands in his pockets and walked off of the airplane. Before following him she looked at the mess he had left around his first-class seat. She felt ashamed, but she couldn't clean up and still keep track of her charge. _Your music may be first-class, Fuwa Sho, but you're a pig._

Ren looked up as Jelly started her usual after-action celebration. "I'm a genious. I'm the make-up witch. But Kyoko-chan, you're absolutely beautiful!"

He watched as the love of his life pushed away from the seat to stand in front of the full-length mirror. Kyoko felt like she had just been touched by a wand to be transformed into a princess. "I… I'm Aurora! Jelly-san! How did you…?"

And then Kyoko's eyes met Ren's in the mirror and her legs felt weak. The look he was giving her now was not unlike the look he had given her on the day she fell asleep with his head on her lap… or another time when she had given him wine jelly and he had ki… ki… she shook her head to clear the image, but thankfully, when she looked in the mirror again he was no longer looking… which didn't make her feel so happy after all. _What's wrong with me? He was probably thinking about something else, that's all._

In fact, Tsuruga Ren had been completely lost in Kyoko's beautiful reflection until Lory had laid a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Ren… don't frighten the girl."

Still, while Ren tried to look away he couldn't help but glance back again and again. Jelly had pulled out the stops and made Kyoko look like a sexy young American snow-bunny, complete with long blond tresses. She was breathtaking. Thankfully, or maybe not, she quickly excused herself to go and rejoin her friends while Ren endured his make-over. As Ren sat down in the chair, he felt Takarada Lory's presence behind him. "Are you sure about this, Kuon? If you are discovered I won't be able to cover for you."

Ren met the man's eyes in the small vanity mirror above Jelly's makeup table, "I'm sure, Boss."

* * *

Outside in the lobby area, the folks of LME were taking note of the different transformations with varying degrees of amusement, amazement, and even shock. Kotonami Kanae's skin had been darkened until she looked like a beautiful Bahama princess. The Ishibashi's each sported black hair and goatees. Kijima looked twice his age with salt-and-pepper hair and a mustache (though he still looked exceptionally handsome). Chiori hadn't needed to be modified yet, a fact for which she was both grateful and chagrined.

Everybody turned when Jelly's magical door opened and a beautiful little blonde in a ski-suit pranced lightly towards them. Every man who was lingering around practically stood at attention, wondering who the cute bombshell was. It was only when she came closer that Kanae saw those golden-eyes and exclaimed, "Kyoko!"

The blonde came to a halt four feet from them, clasped her hands behind her, and swayed back and forth while looking at everyone with wide, innocent eyes. "Hi everyone," she said in near-perfect English, "Are you looking forward to hitting the slopes today?"

Chiori glanced around at the men and giggled to Kanae, "Do you think we should get a bucket to clean up all of this drool?"

* * *

Fuwa Sho stalked through the airport nonchalantly, plastering his rebel-punk smirk on his face and checking out the local girls. A year before and he might have selected a few to "meet" later, but recently none of them appealed to him… unless they looked like _her._ He didn't find any that matched what he was looking for, so he dropped his smile and stalked to the Starbucks stand.

Shouko Aki was thirty feet behind him, trying to hide her irritation and ignoring the pointed stares of the men in the airport. She sometimes wondered if she shouldn't have stayed with acting for a little longer, or at least taken up modeling. Anything would have been better than this. As she glanced around for a sign signaling that their transportation had arrived, she caught a glimpse of something… and flinched. Rapidly she looked between Fuwa Sho, standing in the coffee stand, and the gathering by the doorway. _Maybe, if I act quickly, he won't see it._

Instantly she veered off her original course and headed for the man holding the sign. As she approached, she recognized Matsunai Ruriko, and the pain in her stomach increased. On the previous year she had tried to arrange a joint concert between the two star singers and it had ended in disaster. Ruriko, who had once had as bad a reputation as Fuwa Sho, had recently reformed and become a disciplined and dedicated professional. That was a good thing except in one respect: she had no tolerance for fools, and in her book Fuwa Sho was the biggest fool of all. The two singers had argued through every practice, until finally the producers had cancelled the entire engagement and called in a backup group to perform instead.

"Matsunai-san," Shouko Aki tried to sound cheerful, but she carried the residual guilt as the manager of Fuwa Sho. "How are you doing?"

Ruriko frowned. She had heard the crowds and seen Sho-baka walking past. Still, she tried not to hold it against this lady. As far as she could tell, Shouko Aki was a professional who was saddled with a pre-school child for a talent. Ruriko tried to be forgiving, but it wasn't natural to her character. Two years ago she had behaved much like that punk, but she had received a wake-up call in the form of a pink-suited, golden-eyed weirdo. It had been a true slap in the face when she had almost lost her role in a battle against a new, inexperienced actress. Mogami Kyoko had challenged her and almost beaten her… she probably would have beaten her if she hadn't had a fractured ankle. Since then, Ruriko had returned to her earlier professional attitude and it had paid off handsomely.

Mogami Kyoko was still a part of LME, and Ruriko saw her occasionally. No… that wasn't true. She saw her often: on magazine covers, in advertisements, at modeling shoots, on television shows, and even now a movie. As much as Ruriko still disliked Kyoko, she readily acknowledged the younger girl as a consummate professional and a rising star. She didn't share the same opinion about that Fuwa punk.

"Hello, Shouko-san. How are you?" Ruriko tried to put on a genuine smile, but it wasn't working well.

Shouko sensed the animosity and it made her sad. For once she would like to work with someone who she didn't have to constantly apologize for. "I'm okay… actually, Matsunai-san… ano… would it be possible to hide that LME sign until after…"

"LME? What the h*ll is LME doing here?" A cynical voice demanded. Fuwa Sho almost crushed his mocha as he glared between Ruriko and the sign.

Shouko flinched and her shoulders sagged. She met Ruriko's eyes and her expression begged for an favor. Ruriko tried to decipher the message, but she couldn't. Still, President Takarada had made a point of asking everyone to keep the LME resort vacation a secret. "Hello Fuwa Sho," she said in an unfriendly tone, "You forget; I work for LME. The van is here to pick up me and several others… for a job we have here."

She saw the gratitude in Shouko's eyes and wondered what this was all about. The answer came quicker than she expected. Sho demanded, "Several others… is Mogami Kyoko one of them?"

Ruriko tilted her head in amusement. Mogami Kyoko hardly seemed like the type that this punk was usually interested in… _Wait, wasn't there rumors about him showing up on the set of Dark Moon?_ _Well, it doesn't matter._ As much as she disliked Kyoko, she certainly wasn't going to throw her at this punk. "I'm sorry, but this is a singing gig. Actresses, even the raw beginners, aren't usually included. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

She turned to go and was startled to hear the harsh growl in Fuwa Sho's voice as he snarled, "Kyoko is three times the actress you are, and we both know it." Then, as if recollecting his senses, he tried to act nonchalant and added, "Of course, being LME, that doesn't say much about any of you. You're all no-talent losers."

* * *

Ren sat as still as he could in Jelly's chair, but he was unusually tense. Jelly had been working on him since he was fifteen, and she knew his moods, so she picked up on his discomfort. She leaned over and asked, "What's the matter, Ren-san. This isn't normally like you."

Ren squeezed his eyes shut and tried to erase the images that were flashing through his head at the moment. After seeing Kyoko looking like she did, he hated the idea that she was out there, alone, with all of those celebrity men, while he was stuck sitting in this chair. "No offense, Jelly, but could you please speed this up? I'm…" he blushed, unable to continue.

Lory snickered and even Jelly had to hide a grin. "Kuon, you can't watch over her every minute of every day. Sooner or later other men are going to see her. That's just an inevitable fact of life." Lory's words were casual, but Ren could hear the laughter hidden under the surface.

"I'm just _concerned_, Boss. I mean, no offense to your work Jelly, but did you have to make her look so… _cute, sexy, sultry… _mature?" Ren stifled a groan as other words just kept coming to mind.

Jelly toweled off the remaining dampness, set the cloth aside, and started working gel into Ren's hair. "I'm sorry, Ren-san… maybe I went a little overboard, but Kyoko-chan is just so _fun_ to work on. She's like… every makeup artist's dream!"

Lory couldn't resist. He blew out a ring of cigar smoke and added, "And every wanabe boyfriend's nightmare… right Kuon?" He chuckled as Ren glared at him through the mirror again.

Ten minutes later Kyoko sat on a couch, protectively sandwiched between Amamiya Chiori and Kotonami Kanae, which didn't stop several male celebrities from walking up to chat with her. Chiori and Kanae were getting plenty of attention too, of course, but there's something about a blonde…

Kijima had originally been sighting in on Kanae, but now, with all three girls sitting together it was sort of like a smorgasbord. He didn't know who to focus on, though he was definitely swaying towards the blonde bombshell in the middle. _Can this really be Kyoko?_ He didn't continue his conversation with the girls, however, because suddenly all three looked past him in wide-eyed wonder. Puzzled, he spun around just as and heavy, strong hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"Thanks for taking care of the girls for me, Kijima. Now why don't you head off to the chairlift and make a nice, long, downhill run…" Ren's voice dropped an octave, "and be sure not to break anything."

Almost in perfect unison, Kijima, Kanae, and Chiori said, "Tsuruga Ren?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead his eyes sought out and held those of the blond in the middle. Those honey golden eyes seemed to be examining him like a specimen under glass. Finally, just as he was about to make some comment, Kyoko said, "R-R-R…Tsurugan-san?"

"Yes, Mogami-san. What do you think?" It had been a gamble. He had almost hoped to lose the gamble, so that his true identity, and the deeper connection between him and her would be revealed.

Kyoko smiled, almost in a daze as she replied, "We match."

Ren thought, _Never were truer words spoken, _and he smiled, ignoring the awestruck stares of everyone else from LME in the lobby. After all, hadn't they seen a six-foot five blonde man before?

Thirty minutes later found most of LME scattered on the slopes. Kyoko, Kanae, Ren, and Yashiro stopped at the beginner slopes at the bottom of the mountain. Kanae, who had training as a dancer, turned out to be a natural and she quickly mastered the basics. Kyoko, on the other hand, was too busy snatching glances at Ren to be able to focus. Finally, after an hour of stops and starts, Ren pulled her aside and said, "Okay, go ahead."

Kyoko looked at him quizzically, even as her hands twitched in their gloves. Ren looked into her beautiful eyes and held them, "Mogami-san, you've been wanting to run your fingers through my hair since I walked out of the room. Now go ahead and do it so that you can get it out of your system and we can get you skiing."

During their time as the Heel siblings, it had almost become a nightly ritual for Setsu to run her hands through Cain's hair. Ren, of course, had loved every moment of it, while Kyoko had tried to justify the whole thing in her mind as a quirk of a doting sister.

"I… I can't do that, Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko blushed profusely and tried to pull away. The truth was that Ren had read her mind. Her fingers _were_ itching to touch that beautiful hair. _It looks so soft… _

"I'll do it!" Another voice said. Both of them turned to find a tall European looking girl who grinned flirtatiously at Ren. "If she doesn't want to touch… your hair, then I'll be happy to take over." The girl was strikingly cute, with a face that could have graced the cover of any French magazine.

Kyoko felt a white-hot rage in her mind which she couldn't understand or explain. All that she did know was that she didn't intend to let this girl anywhere near her… her sempai. "_I _am perfectly capable of taking care of anything that _he_ needs, thank you very much." She grabbed Ren's arm and pulled him back onto the beginner's run.

Ren was surprised about the whole affair and ridiculously pleased at Kyoko's reaction. _Was she really acting jealous just now?_ The thought made him revisit the incident with Ashida Chieko earlier in the day. _Wait, was she jealous then as well?_ The thought made him smile stupidly until Kyoko's caustic voice brought him up short. "Are we going to ski or what, _sempai!_"

Kanae and Yashiro, who had watched the whole incident, looked at each other with raised eyebrows and amused looks.

After that Kyoko learned rapidly. She wanted to make sure that Ren didn't get bored and leave her alone to move on to the more difficult slopes. For some reason she didn't like his blonde hair as much as before… it attracted far too much unwanted attention.

* * *

**Notes:** In anticipation of your question – no, Kyoko didn't recognize her childhood faerie prince right away. That doesn't mean that she won't later. For now she's just stunned by how good looking he is as a blonde.

For those of you who might note that my story is much less forgiving of Fuwa Sho than previous stories, I can only say this: I re-read through most of the series and find that I can't stand the way that he treats the women he knows and works with. I recently had to help a young lady who has suffered at the hands of someone much like that, and now I find it harder to write such conduct off. Sadly, in most cases, when a man treats women badly when he is young, he usually only gets worse as he grows older.

If you're wondering about the supernatural portion of this, wait. I promise that it will play a major role by the end of the story.

Again, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing.


	6. Hit and Missed Connections

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 6 – Hit and Miss Connections**

_**Author's note:**__ From this point forward, in order to make the distinction clear, __**I will have the times that anyone speaks in English in bold.**_

Three hours was more than enough for the two novices. Yashiro and Ren were both experienced skiers, so they knew that it would be a mistake for the girls to continue practicing. Kyoko had forgotten her earlier irritation and she was having a good time. "Why do we have to quit now?"

Ren gave her the smile that always made her feel weak and warm at the same time. "If you want to be able to walk tomorrow, you should take a break now. Besides, I thought that we could take a break and go to The Stomping Ground."

"The stomping ground?" Kanae asked, confused at the English name. "I'm not really hungry yet."

Yashiro chuckled, "The Stomping Ground Park is a ski jump park. It has half-pipes, jumps, and bag jumps. Believe me, it's worth visiting. There will be some very serious stunt snow-boarders and skiers there for us to watch."

Kyoko face split into a wide, excited smile. "Oh, I want to see that!" She turned to her tall sempai, "Do you jump, Ren?"

Kanae rolled her eyes as she saw the tall actor grinning like a little kid at Christmas. He had insisted that she and Kyoko called him that in order to prevent any inadvertent disclosure of his identity. The funny thing was that he looked flushed and happy every time Kyoko said his given name. It was amusing and almost cute to see Japan's Most Desirable Man acting like a lovesick teenager. She was also marveling at the ease that Kyoko seemed to have around the man. She knew that Kyoko's "Something Dangerous" mission had something to do with her tall "sempai," but she still didn't know what had taken place. Whatever it was, it had changed Ren and Kyoko's relationship.

Kanae felt Yashiro Yukihito's eyes on her _again_ and she felt annoyed. She appreciated the man's help with teaching her to ski, and she was even willing to admit that he was handsome. He had worn contacts that afternoon… it was the first time she had ever seen him without glasses… or noticed his eyes. _Mo! I don't have any time for a man! Even if that overgrown playboy is making progress with my best friend, it doesn't have to mean…_

She stopped thinking and her eyes grew alarmed as she recognized the woman who was walking through the snow towards them. Ren and Yashiro saw her reaction and quickly turned. Kyoko, who had been admiring the beautiful mountain views, felt the atmosphere change. As usual, she immediately thought that she had done something wrong. She cringed and scanned the big man's face, but quickly realized that he wasn't looking at her.

Yashiro, thinking quickly, stepped away from the other three to intercept Shouko Aki's progress. He didn't want anyone to recognized Ren, and he certainly didn't want Fuwa Sho showing up to disrupt their vacation. She looked up, startled to find the manager of her charge's arch-rival standing in front of her. "Yashiro-san?" She looked around, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't find his tall charge close-by… or worse, Mogami Kyoko. "I didn't expect to find you here!" Then she remembered the LME sign at the airport. "Please don't tell me that LME's mystery vacation is here?" Her voice was almost pleading.

Yashiro felt sorry for his fellow manager. He couldn't imagine being Fuwa Sho's manager. He was assured that he would have killed the punk by now. He had heard most of Kyoko's story concerning Sho. He thought of Kyoko like a little sister, therefore he felt a deep and abiding dislike for Shouko's charge. It must have worse for her, since she was a woman… a strikingly beautiful woman… and that rocker punk probably never left her alone. Still, he had his priorities for the moment, "Hello Aki. I'm surprised to see you here as well. May I ask… are you here on vacation?"

She recognized a dodge when she heard one, but she didn't push the issue, "Unfortunately I'm here with _him…_ or at least I'm supposed to be. He has a three-day concert here. Only, he keeps disappearing on me." She hesitated, but set her professional loyalties aside so that she could be honest with her fellow manager, "Yashiro-san, if Mogami Kyoko's here, can we _please_ hide the girl? I'm at my wit's end already, and I _really _don't want to deal with another scandal right now."

Shouko Aki looked up the slope to look for Sho, and Yashiro used the opportunity to wave his three companions away. Ren understood and steered the two ladies down the slope. As they walked quickly away, Kanae found herself glancing back and watching Yashiro with Fuwa Sho's very pretty manager… and she felt distinctly annoyed.

* * *

Ren, Kyoko, and Kanae arrived at Stomping Ground Park only to find the place alive with snowboarders and spectators. The trio wondered what the commotion was about, until the crowd parted and they saw three young men snowboarding the half-pipe. Kyoko clapped with glee as she saw Shinichi in his disguise soaring eight feet above the wall before turning, grabbing the back of his board, and plummeting back to re-connect with the wall. Next it was Yuusei, who soared into the air and spun twice.

Ren, who had positioned himself close to Kyoko after he saw several onlookers checking her out, said, "A backside 720… impressive." Kyoko looked up at him, captivated for a moment by his blond hair. "Do you do those kinds of things Ren?" Kyoko had struggled with using Ren's given name so casually, but now she actually liked the feel of it on her tongue. The tall man looked down at her and found himself falling into her eyes. When he saw her look becoming alarmed, he shook his head, "No… actually, I snowboard pretty well, but my focus was usually skiing. I like the jumps, especially the stunt-jumps."

The crowd roared and the pair turned back to watch the half-pipe. Kyoko gasped as a small man soared ten feet above the rim, spinning two-and-one-half times and re-connecting with the rim as he came down backwards and still kept his balance. It was a spectacular jump for an amateur, and Ren would have been happy to give the man props, except for the fact that Kyoko ran forward unexpectedly to congratulate him herself. Ren watched the smaller man's reaction to Kyoko through squinted eyes and gritted teeth. Considering Kyoko's usual reticence in approaching men, he must be somebody… and then Ren remembered the Bridge Rock trio from earlier in the morning. This one, the one who seemed so pleased at seeing Kyoko's approach, must be the leader, Hikaru. _He must have been there earlier when Kyoko came out, so he knows her disguise. _Ren didn't feel pleased about that

Kyoko gleefully ran up and shook the man's hand. The two previous half-pipers surrounded the girl and Kyoko conducted an animated conversation with them. Ren felt alarmed at the familiar, relaxed feeling that the four young people were projecting. Almost unconsciously, he stepped forward to join the group. Kyoko smiled brightly at him, making his heart leap, but then her expression changed, becoming guarded. Ren wondered about that as he heard the man he now recognized as Ishibashi Shinichi saying, "I wish that we would have brought the suit. I want to see Bo shooting the pipe. I bet he could, too."

Ren didn't see Kyoko's repeated attempts to quiet the young man's talk. He saw her movements, but he thought that she was sharing some private joke with the jokester of the group… and it made him feel frustrated and left-out. Normally, he might have never spoken on the subject, but this time he felt the need to join the conversation, if only to reclaim Kyoko's attention. "Bo would probably do a great job. He seems like the type who could do anything."

Yuusei nodded in agreement, and Hikaru looked poised to join in when Kyoko suddenly said, "Yaaaaaaaah! Look at the sun! Ren, if we don't hurry, you'll miss your chance to jump… We should _definitely _go now." She grabbed Ren's hand urgently and tried to lead him away, leaving two of the men looking amused, and one looking sad. Ren was confused by Kyoko's precipitant action, but he felt consoled by the fact that Kyoko's hand was still in his. As they walked away, Ren heard one of the men say, "Sorry, Leader. We'll try to make sure that you get some time alone with Kyoko-chan later."

Ren frowned and he felt his anger rising. They walked another thirty feet or so towards the ski area before he finally asked, "Mogami-san… how do you know the Ishibashi's so well?"

Kyoko heard the change in her sempai's voice and she froze, releasing his hand. _Oh no! He's angry at me for grabbing his hand like that! He only tolerates me at the best of times! If he finds out that I am Bo, he'll cut me up and deep-fry me! I don't want to look… _She looked up with a grimace of horror. As she expected, Ren had that gleaming, gentlemanly smile on his face.

All around them, women began to lose their ability to think. Two women collided, falling to the ground in a daze. Another older lady slid right into a crowd of snowboarders who were strapping in, knocking the whole group over like dominoes. There were other incidents, but Ren and Kyoko didn't notice any of them. Kyoko fell to her knees in the snow executing a dogeeza and wailing for Ren's forgiveness. As suddenly as it happened, Ren was shaken from his angry thoughts.

Ashamed of himself, he reached down and slid his hands under Kyoko's arms. Kyoko made an "eeep!" sound as she suddenly felt herself being lifted into the air. Ren smiled apologetically to her as he set her back on her feet, "Kyoko… I apologize… I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

"No! It's not your fault! I shouldn't have grabbed your hand like that! I know you must be disgusted with me!" Kyoko tried to fall on her knees again, but Ren stopped her by grabbing both of her hands in his.

Startled and disconcerted, she slowly looked back up, afraid to meet Ren's gentlemanly smile again. Instead, she found herself looking into a soft expression that made it almost impossible for her to think… or breathe. Ren was almost on the verge of declaring his true feelings for her when a rude, arrogant voice demanded, "Would you get out of the way! There are more important people here, and I don't feel like having to go around you just because you're foreigners with not manners!" Kyoko's grudge demons were beginning to emerge even as Ren turned his head to glare into Fuwa Sho's irritated eyes.

_

* * *

_

Mo! This is ridiculous! What am I doing?

Kotonami Kanae, despite her natural beauty and her current olive skinned disguise, was too frightening at the moment for all but the most daring men to approach. Whenever any man did dare to approach, she simply turned and glared at him as if she wanted to disembowel him and feed him to one of the occasional falcons that frequented the area.

Kanae had left the beginner slopes with Kyoko and Ren, but somehow she never made it to Stomping Ground Park. Somehow, in the process of the trip, she became separated from her best friend and her annoyingly tall shadow. Then, with no clear plan of her own, she found herself back at the beginner slopes and scanning for a familiar face. When she didn't see him there, she took a guess and headed down the hill toward the restaurants and stores. She tried to enjoy window shopping, but a nagging irritation repeatedly invaded her perusal. Finally, after she was becoming dangerously irritated, she heard a female laugh. Turning quickly, she looked into a small coffee shop to see Yashiro Yukihito and Fuwa Sho's tall, shapely manager sitting at a table and talking over coffees.

The scene looked so natural, so perfect, and so sickeningly sweet that Kanae wanted to pick up something heavy and bust it on top of… _What's wrong with me? Why am I behaving like some kind of idiotic fool? That's it; I'm going to go find Kyoko!_ She turned to go… she even took two steps. And then Shouko Aki giggled and the hair on the back of Kanae's neck stood on end. In a heartbeat she whirled around. She was in the coffee shop and halfway to the table where the couple was sitting before she even thought about it.

Yashiro turned and froze with his coffee cup halfway to his mouth. Almost randomly, Kanae noticed the cute smear of froth that had stuck to one side of his mouth. Shouko Aki, noticing Yashiro's expression, turned to see the olive-skinned beauty. She raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow inquisitively, making Kanae want to take Jelly's trimming shears to the brunettes perfect little face. Instead, she smiled casually and said, "Why, if it isn't Yashiro Yukihito! It's been sooo long! Wait, let me get myself a coffee and I'll join you two."

Yashiro watched Kanae saunter away, and then he turned to see Aki's irritated face. _Suddenly he felt like a rabbit surrounded by a pack of she-wolves._

* * *

Kyoko felt her anger and hatred surging. Her grudges were swirling around her and preparing for attack. Then Ren squeezed her hands, recalling her attention as he bent close to her ear and spoke in English, **"He doesn't recognize us, Kyoko. Should we have a little fun?"**

His hot breath on her neck made her whole body feel warm and tingly. Had the circumstances been different, she would have jumped back in alarm. But when she looked up into his eyes, she saw Cain Heel. Instantly she slipped into Setsuka's persona. **"That sounds like fun. Just don't do anything that would expose you."**

"Hey," Sho barked in irritation, "You're in Japan. If you can't speak Japanese, go home!" Sho couldn't have explained why he had taken such an instant dislike to this tall, blonde foreigner. He had felt a tingle of familiarity, like an irritating itch, and it had caused him to challenge the man. Now, while the foreign couple talked, he couldn't help but notice how pretty the little blonde woman was. She had golden eyes, just like Kyoko's, but she was nowhere near as plain and boring. "Of course," he smiled at the enticing little blonde in an insinuating way, "If you want to dump this loser and spend your day with a _real man…_"

Kyoko felt the urge to throw up and Ren wanted to murder the man, but Setsu was still in firm control. She smirked at the wannabe punk and stepped closer to her tall companion. She reached up and draped one arm on his shoulder, tilting her head so that it lay against Ren's chest, and replied in stilted Japanese, "There's only one _real man_ on this slope, punk. Why don't you go away and play on the bunny slopes like a good little boy?"

Sho's face turned red with rage. He wasn't used to being spoken to so disdainfully, and he certainly wasn't used to being rejected so casually. He didn't understand where this little girl with her golden eyes that looked so much like Kyoko's had the courage to speak to _him_ in that way. Then he looked up at the tall blonde's amused expression and his fists clenched. For the first time he noticed the narrow skis slung over the foreigner's shoulder and he smirked in derision, "I'll tell you what: Just up the hill there is a stunt-jump ramp. Why don't we have your boyfriend and I have a little competition. If he's better than me, then I'll pay for your dinner. But if I win, then you have to dump this bum and spend the evening with me."

Ren turned to Kyoko with an enquiring look, **"What is he saying?" **

Kyoko had to hide a grin at her sempai's subterfuge, **"The punk wants to challenge you to a stunt-jumping competition. When he loses, he has to pay for our dinner." **She looked at him with a challenge in her eyes. Ren looked at her affectionately, causing her to blush. He turned to Sho and deepened his speaking voice. Then he spoke in very broken Japanese. "Soooo, you want have a stunt-jumping competition?" He looked Sho up and down with disgust, "Why bother? You're no competition."

Sho flared, "Ha! I'm going to humiliate you _and_ I'm going to get your girl! Are we on, or what?"

Ren stood up to his full height and looked down into the eyes of the younger man. Then, in his flawed Japanese, he said, "I should warn you: we like expensive food."

* * *

When Shouko Aki had first encountered Yashiro Yukihito on the beginner slopes, she had been startled. She had been with Fuwa Sho each of the other times that she had seen him, and invariably there had been enormous tension between her charge and Yashiro's tall charge… most often with Kyoko also thrown into the mix. She had been aware of him as a man during those incidents, but she hadn't really had the opportunity to take his measure. When he walked up to her on the shallow slope, all alone and wearing contacts, her breath caught in her throat. He was handsome… more than handsome.

Perhaps it was because she had spent the majority of her day looking after a young man who acted like a spoiled child. Or perhaps it was because she was overworked and worn out. Or perhaps it was because she had only recently turned twenty-five, and she was questioning her current direction in life. For whatever reason, when she saw Yashiro this time, she completely forgot about her need to locate Fuwa Sho and she concentrated fully on this interesting man.

Shouko knew Yashiro by reputation. At the age of twenty-eight he was acknowledged as one of the most efficient and dedicated talent managers in Tokyo. He had the reputation of effortlessly juggling the schedule of Japan's busiest young actor and model. He was also known as the tall actor's watchdog and he was famous for his glare; which could stop a horde of attacking fangirls instantly. He was intelligent, soft-spoken, and he seemed kind. In short, he was a real man.

Yashiro was also treating her with respect, which was becoming rare. Altogether too many times people knew her as Fuwa Sho's manager and treated her as if _she_ was the one who was rude, self-centered, chauvinistic, and unprofessional. They also _assumed_ that she was sleeping with the young rocker, just because of her appearance and his reputation. It was true that Sho had tried often and aggressively to get her into his bed… or the couch… or any vertical or horizontal surface where she happened to let him get too close, but she had always been able to rebuff him. He knew, though he would never admit it, that he needed her to keep his life and career in-order; so he allowed himself to be pushed away, even if he always came back for a fresh attack.

If Yashiro believed those rumors, he gave no evidence of it. He didn't hide his appreciation of her good looks, but he didn't undress her with his eyes. He touched her elbow on two occasions as they walked down the crowded street, but he took no other liberties. His conversation was intelligent, his manner gentlemanly, and his sense of humor was lively. After reaching the coffee shop, they sat and swapped stories about their respective agencies, laughing and enjoying each other. Shouko almost completely forgot about Fuwa Sho and just enjoyed her stolen time with this exhilarating man…

And then _she_ showed up. It had taken Aki several minutes to recognize the dark, sultry beauty with the confident sapphire eyes. Then, when she did match the face and a name, Aki's keen mind had replayed the scene on the hillside when Yashiro had first approached her. She remembered this young lady in the background, standing alongside a very tall blonde man and a very sexy young blond woman… And then she put all of the pieces of the puzzle together. It made her feel irritated, and then disappointed. Clearly, Yashiro hadn't approached her out of interest, but rather in an effort to keep her away from the trio who he had been standing with. She met those sapphire eyes now and realized that there was something recognizable in them. _Oh! She's actually jealous. I wasn't aware that Kotonami Kanae and Yashiro Yukihito were really close…_ Shouko set her first sense of disappointment aside as she recognized this beautiful young lady as a rival; a rival she didn't want to lose to. She smiled casually and said, "Hello, Kotonami-san. What happened to your other two companions?"

Yashiro had just raised his coffee to his lips to take a nervous sip. Thankfully he hadn't taken any of the liquid into his mouth, or both young ladies would have been wearing it as he choked on his surprise. "You recognized them?" He whispered urgently, "I hope… Shouko-san, LME's trying to keep a low profile, and…"

Shouko Aki laughed a tinkling, flirty laugh as she reached across the little round table and touched her fellow manager's hand. "Relax, Yukihito… and please call me Aki. I am the last person who would expose any of you. In fact," she shivered slightly, "I dread the idea of Sho meeting up with them."

Kanae's eyes narrowed when she saw the look in Shouko's eyes and watched the older lady reach for Yashiro's hand. She still hadn't taken the time to analyze her feelings, but she did know that this lady was throwing down a challenge… and Kotonami Kanae lived for a challenge. She leaned over towards Yashiro, smiling adoringly as she laid a slender hand on the man's knee and softly said, "We should be going, Yukihito-kun. Now that our secret has been exposed, there really isn't any more time to…" She stopped, annoyed, as her cell phone started buzzing for the third time in the last several minutes. Leaving her hand on Yashiro's knee, she opened the phone and said, "Mo, what now?"

She listened in irritation at first, and then with growing alarm. Finally she said, "We'll be there as soon as we can. Try to stop those two playground boys from doing anything too stupid." She closed her phone and sighed before looking at the two managers, "Well, it looks like Sho-baka found our couple… and now those two boys are about to do something really stupid."

* * *

Takarada Jun hovered in the darkened suite and watched Lory as he agonized over his love-simulation game rather than going out on the slopes. He was still as handsome and manly as he had ever been, but now it was all a façade. The truth was that Lory was the true "number 1 LoveMe member." He had the opportunity to love again practically right in front of him, but he chose not to accept it.

_Lory, what has happened to you? You never used to run away from anything. Now you're trying to live your life vicariously through this stupid simulation game and your employees. It's good to help them, Lory, but that will never be enough._

Lory paused the game, leaned back his head, and sighed. With his eyes closed he said, "Jun, I miss you so much. We should be celebrating this 25th LME Anniversary together." He had shed his Attila the Hun outfit and was resting in a bathrobe. He knew that Jelly was probably lingering close to the hotel, just in case, and it made him feel guilty. _Still… _he sat up to begin to play again, when suddenly the power flashed off, making him lose his game. He sat there for a long time, glancing between the controller and the screen, before he finally threw the controller down and stood up to go and change into snow gear.

_

* * *

_

What is wrong with you, Kuon? It has been six years since you made this type of jump. Do you think it will go all your way just because you despise that punk? Or are you still trying to kill yourself?

Ren wished that he could block out that voice, but it had been with him since his near-accident in the spring. Ren wasn't necessarily superstitious, so he didn't know if it was Rick's voice or some creation of his own mind at work. All he did know was that this facsimile of Rick continued to plague him, most especially where Mogami Kyoko was concerned.

Ren huffed and rolled his head on his neck, ignoring the glare of the slightly smaller rock star. They were at the top of the ramp now, waiting their turn and attracting a lot of attention. People around them didn't know whether to focus on Japan's Number One Musician or the sublimely handsome blonde foreigner. In the end they contented themselves with looking back and forth and taking pictures on their camera phones. Standing close to the tall foreigner was an almost equally striking blond woman, who seemed decidedly nervous.

Kyoko didn't quite understand why, but somehow she felt that _she_ was responsible for the mess they now found themselves in. Kyoko was confident that her tall sempai could do anything that he set his mind to, but she had never heard him talk or read anything about him skiing until today. Now he was about to do some crazy just because her childhood friend/adult arch-enemy had insulted them both and made advances on her… though she could scarce credit that he was serious.

What worried Kyoko was that she knew Sho was actually a talented acrobat. During their school years he was always the best with his skateboard, his bicycle, and just about anything else he tried. She knew that he had gone skiing many times since moving to Tokyo, and so he was probably good at this as well. _What if Tsuruga-sempai (she still called him that in her thoughts) overdoes it trying to beat out Shoutaro? What if he gets hurt? _Without thinking, she tightened her grip on Ren's arm, causing him to look down and smile at her. "**Relax, Setsu** (standing so Sho, he couldn't afford to use Kyoko's real name); **you can trust me."**

She looked up at him and her eyes communicated all of the concern that she felt, **"Please be careful, R..." **Scrambling for a name to use within Sho's earshot… any name to uses as a substitute, she said, **"Please be careful, Corn."** Later, even weeks and months later, she still wouldn't be able to explain why she didn't just use the name Cain, or why she chose Corn… perhaps it was that beautiful blonde mane.

Ren's eyes became alarmed, and then speculative. After looking down at her for an uncomfortably long time, he finally said, **"I'll fly for you today, Princess; you'll see."**

**

* * *

****Notes: **It has been pointed out that I have already written five (now six, and soon seven) chapters on the same day. It wasn't intentional, but some days are just more eventful than others. Thanks for all of the supportive reviews. I will try not to disappoint.


	7. A Trick of the Late Afternoon Sun

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 7 – A Trick of the Late Afternoon Sun**

_**Author's note:**__ In order to make the distinction clear, __**I will have the times that anyone speaks in English in bold.**_

_In order for this chapter to make any sense, it seems necessary to provide a brief explanation of stunt-jumping. If you find this boring or mundane, then please skip ahead. Also, I am __**not **__an expert on this, and therefore I may make mistakes in my narrative that may irritate true experts. If you find an error, please let me know and explain in detail so that I may fix the error. _

A stunt jump slope is not a single ramp, but a series of ramps and rails of varying degrees of difficulties. The entire run _could _be treated as a series, but usually each separate obstacle is treated as an individual venue. Stunt jumping ramps are usually built of snow and in pairs, with a launching ramp and a landing ramp. Degrees of difficulty are based upon several variables: the distance between the ramps, the degree of angle of the launching ramp, and the degree of decline of the slope on which the ramps are constructed. I have never been to Sapporo, and my information is spotty; so for this story I will presuppose that there are three ramps categorized by difficulty: moderate, intermediate, and advanced.

For years there were bitter rivalries between snow boarders and skiers for access to the best slopes and the best ramps. This seems to have settled down to the occasional trading of insults. In fact, most stunt-jump runs can be used by both snowboarders and skiers. Several factors are used to judge a jump: the difficulty of entry, the height of the jump, the rotations and difficulty of the maneuver, and the landing. Another factor which has an impact is aesthetics; a gifted stunt-jumper can make his or her jump beautiful to the eye while at the same time making the audience catch their breaths. This is referred to as the Awe Factor. All of the other factors are important, but this final factor is usually what really drives stunt-jumpers… because a good stunt jumper seems almost superhuman.

Stunt jumping, classified as an extreme sport, for obvious reasons. Like any sport, as the degree of difficulty increases, so do the dangers involved. A simple jump, if landed poorly, may result in a twisted ankle. As the difficulties, elevations, and distances increase there are the possibilities of broken bones. But extreme jumps often require the jumper to turn upside-down, take off or land backward, and spin or flip repeatedly in the air. As always, it is the final second, the moment when the jumper loses his fight with gravity and returns to the ground, where everything can go wrong. If the spin, or flip, or some other crazy maneuver is not completed by the time that the jumper and the snow meet again, then something is probably going to break… and snow doesn't break.

That is why stunt-jumping is classified as an extreme sport. Despite the momentary thrill of breaking the bonds of gravity and flying through the sky, and despite the pleasure of appearing almost superhuman to those lesser mortals who chose to keep their feet firmly planted on the ground, eventually everyone has to pay their dues in the form of broken bones and busted pride. Yet the promise of exhilaration and notoriety usually outweighs the inevitability of pain. Naturally, those two factors were also what drew two men like Hizuri Kuon and Fuwa Sho to the sport.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of these jumps, nor do I own Stomping Ground Park (but wouldn't that be fun?)

The Stomping Ground Park, however, is a very popular and hence very crowded place. Individual competitions are not easily organized because everyone behind the competitors is also waiting for a turn. In this case, however, Fuwa Sho's name had its value. A few words, spoken in the right ears resulted in a quick call. Before the two scowling competitors had even made it to the top, a snowmobile powered up to the line and pulled to a stop. A short, stocky man in his mid-twenties climbed out and frowned at Fuwa Sho.

"So, Fuwacchi," he had a smile on his face, but his tone was caustic, "I hear that you want to hold a competition."

Sho colored at the insulting nickname that he hated the most. Behind Ren, Kyoko had to quickly suppress a laugh. Finding herself unable to completely stifle it, she buried her face into Ren's thick coat to muffle the sound. Ren felt his whole body warm to this spontaneous touch, and his face morphed into a dreamy smile. Sho heard the muffled sound and he turned to see what appeared to be an amused smile on his tall rival's face. It made his blood boil worse, and he whipped back around to the new man. "That's right, Fujioka," he rudely gestured back at Ren with an extended thumb, "I need to teach this foreigner a lesson."

Kyoko, who was still touching Ren's back unconsciously, felt him tense up and assumed that it was because of Sho's rude actions. Fujioka Hachiro looked over at the tall blonde man, examining him. Suddenly his eyes grew wide and his mouth opened, but a quick shake of Ren's head made him stop. He continued to look at Ren, seemingly lost in thought, and then he chuckled. "Hello, my name is Fujioka Hachiro, and I'm the ski pro for the resort. Have you accepted Fuwa Sho's challenge?" When Ren nodded, Hachiro turned back to the young singer who seemed to cause problems whenever he showed up at Niseko, "Okay, I'll approve the match. You'll each get three runs: two intermediate and one advanced. I'll judge, with the help of the crowd, and all decisions are final. By the way, what's the bet?"

Sho sneered, "When I win, this tall loser's little friend has to spend the evening with me."

Hachiro noticed the pretty blond standing mostly behind her tall companion for the first time. He smiled at her in an appreciative but kind manner, and then looked up at Ren, "I admire your taste, K… ummm, what is your name?"

Ren began to speak, but Sho spluttered in laughter, "She called him 'Corn.' Can you believe that? What sort of name is that, anyway?"

Hachiro looked back at the rocker with an expression that said, _You are such an idiot,_ and then turned back to the couple, "Is Corn your name?"

Ren met the shorter man's eyes with a meaningful expression and answered in English, **"My name is Colin Richards. I'm honored to meet you, Fujioka Hachiro."** Hachiro, looking amused, **"I'm pleased to meet you… Colin. And who is this beautiful creature?"**

Kyoko blushed as Ren placed a hand over her shoulder and moved her forward. She had been deliberately trying to stay out of Sho's direct line of sight in order to lessen the chance of him recognizing her. She also didn't like the way that he seemed to be undressing her with his eyes. It made her want to rip him limb-from-limb. She almost bowed but stopped herself and slipped back into character. Extending a gloved hand, she said, **"Hello, Mr. Fukioka. My name is Sherrie Richards…" **She blushed even deeper once she realized that she had just taken Tsuruga Ren's last name, but it was too late. Hachiro's eyebrows lifted as he looked back and forth between them. Ren, trying to hide the smile that wanted to stretch from ear-to-ear, coughed and started to say something else, but was interrupted.

"Are we going to do this, or what?" Sho demanded with an irritated sneer. Then he let his eyes fall on Kyoko again. "I'm ready to start my date."

* * *

Takarada Lory, dressed in very flashy snow gear, stepped into the lobby expecting to find Jelly Woods waiting for him. He had chosen snowboarder's gear because it was so much more individual and loud than traditional ski gear. He scanned the wide lobby twice, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he walked into the bar area, expecting her there. Again, she was nowhere. He described Jelly to the barkeep, and he smiled, "Oh yeah, the miniature doll. She's a real cutie. Let me think… oh yeah, this handsome dude came in and asked her out for a late lunch. They left about twenty minutes ago."

Jelly had always been an independent woman who did her own thing, but "her own thing" usually included doing something with him. Lory found himself feeling irritated and concerned. In fact, he was feeling very disgruntled as he stalked out of the resort hotel. _You can't expect her to wait for you forever, Lory. She's still a desirable woman and it's not fair to expect her to go through her life lonely. _Lory didn't know where that thought came from, but it irritated him even more.

Lory walked down the hill towards the restaurant area without any clear plan. _I'm just hungry, that's all. _He had given Sebastian the week off with very clear instructions for the man to go and have fun. _What does that man do for fun, anyway?_ He checked the first two restaurants to no avail, and then saw her sitting in a window seat in a third restaurant. Moving carefully so as not to attract attention, he slinked from pole to pole and behind cars until he could see who she was sitting with.

Inside the restaurant, Jelly lifted her napkin and covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "He's just like a little kid sometimes."

Sebastian smiled and took a sip of wine. He had decided that he wanted to spend his vacation among the people that he knew, "Sometimes? Two months ago he wanted me to contact Fuji, Boeing, Lockheed, and Airbus to find someone to build him a jet-powered, air-worthy sleigh in time for Christmas. Should we invite him in or should we let him keep pretending he's a ninja?"

Jelly giggled, but Sebastian could see the pain behind her smiling eyes. "Let him have his fun just a little longer, Sebastian. He left me waiting for two hours. He'll come in eventually."

Sebastian looked at the tiny lady sadly, "Ten, are you really leaving after this vacation?"

She nodded unhappily, "I have to, Seb. I'm not going to wait any longer. I loved Jun, but I can't compete with her shadow." She glanced back out the window again and saw Lory standing on the sidewalk, pacing back and forth. "I haven't told him yet. I'll wait until this vacation is over."

She saw the tall executive flinch and reach into his pocket. He pulled out a phone and listened for a moment. Both Jelly and Sebastian saw the alarm on his face. They started to rise, but he was already moving toward the restaurant door. They met in the lobby, concerned about what might have happened. As if he knew that they were expecting him to be there, Lory gestured for them to wait and then he looked at the two people who were his closest friends, "That baka really did it this time. Did you finish your meal? We need to go."

* * *

Kyoko tried to ignore the men who repeatedly approached her while she stood on the sidelines to watch the match. She had been blushing furiously when she joined the spectators, and she was completely unaware of how beautiful she looked with those rosy cheeks. Even if she had been interested in conversation, it wouldn't have been at that particular moment. Right before the trio had reached the end of the line, Ren had turned to her and whispered, **"**_**Well, my dear wife, you should probably go and stand where you can get a better view…"**__ she had nodded and started to leave, but he had stopped her by grabbing her hand, __**"But not before I get my good-luck kiss."**_She had blanched as she saw the Emperor of the Night looking at her. Sensing this, Ren had toned down his expression and turned his cheek to her. Trying to stay in-character, she had stood on tip-toes to reach his face and give him a peck on the cheek… but at the last moment he had turned and their lips had met.

Instantly, despite her embarrassment, every part of her body had been on fire. Even before she could react or analyze this strange feeling, one big, strong hand had touched the small of her back and pulled her close, deepening the kiss. When his hand relaxed and his lips left hers, she had remained on her tip-toes for a long moment as the sensation lingered. When a chill breeze blew between them she suddenly recalled herself and stepped back, alarmed and confused. She might have fled, but Ren's hand still held hers. He held her firm as he leaned over and said, **"Now go and watch me fly for you."**

She was still standing there on the sideline, confused, when Kanae, Yashiro, and Aki joined her. All three instantly started asking questions, but they hushed instantly as Fujioka Hachiro stepped onto the ramp and held up both hands for silence, "Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for your patience. We have a challenge match between Fuwa Sho and Colin Richards. Three runs; two intermediate and one advanced. This will be a follow-the-leader competition, with the second jumper copying the stunt of the first. The first round will be led by Fuwa Sho, as our challenger. The winner of each round will then choose the next jump. Let's give them both a round of applause." The crowd responded wholeheartedly. Kanae leaned over and said, "Isn't that Fujioka?"

Kyoko turned to her, "Yes, that's right. I think that he's the sports-pro here. Do you know him?"

Kanae rolled her eyes, "Mo, Kyoko! As in Fujioka Hachiro, the Olympic contender? He's an internationally known skier and snowboarder." Kyoko was deeply impressed, but there was something else nagging at the back of her mind. Now that the embarrassment of that kiss had worn off, her mind was reviewing the meeting of Hachiro and Ren… It might have been her imagination, but she had the distinct feeling that the two men knew each other.

All thoughts of that were set aside as Fuwa Sho started down the hill for his first jump. Like everyone else, she held her breath and started yelling he hit the jump and flew into the air. His skis crossed and he spun in a corkscrew, once, then twice around before landing almost perfectly on the second ramp. For a moment she forgot all about her anger and slipped back to the days when she and all of the other children from her school would watch him perform stunts. Kanae scowled at her when she clapped, and Kyoko grimaced. Fuwa Sho gathered his skis and walked by her, smirking triumphantly until he saw his manager standing close by. Frowning, he headed back up to the top.

Then it was Ren's turn. Kyoko held her breath, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't be hurt. He was so tall that the distance from the top to the ramp seemed shorter, and he was airborne. Fuwa Sho's jump had been good, but there was something spectacular in Ren's jump. Whether it was his size or his power, everything seemed perfect as he twisted through the air with a brilliant smile on his face. Kyoko was roaring her praise even before his skis touched snow, and she didn't even think about the possessive pride that suffused her as she watched her man turn sideways and skid to a stop. _Wait… my man? He's not… _Her mind froze on that thought, and she stood there like a mannequin until suddenly Ren's handsome face loomed in front of her. **"Are you okay, dear?"**

Kyoko made an "eeep!" sound and jumped back, but there were people right behind her and she bounced off of them and into Ren's arms. He hugged her close with a genuine smile on his face and said, **"How am I doing so far?"**

Kyoko blushed and trembled, but her eyes sparkled as she said, **"You flew like a faerie prince, Colin."** Ren wanted to steal another kiss, but he was afraid that she would overload and short-circuit. His plan was working, and she was slowly beginning to make connections in her brain.

"**Well, for the next jump, I'll be your Superman." **He gave her one more quick-squeeze and headed back up the hill. Kanae watched the entire interaction with wonder, surprised at how far the couple seemed to have progressed in just one short hour. "What's going on, Kyoko-chan?"

Lory, Jelly, and Sebastian had just arrived as Ren made his first jump. Jelly turned to Lory and said, "He seems to be very good. Why were you so worried?"

Lory looked down at her, "He is good, Ten. In fact, he is more than good. When he was fourteen he was already a serious contender in both snowboarding and skiing… that's the problem. He has returned to his blonde hair and he is surrounded by ski enthusiasts. Someone is going to recognize him… probably a lot of people… especially if he does the jump he's famous for."

All further discussion stopped for the moment as Fujioka Hachiro stepped back onto the ramp and called for silence again, "Okay, ladies and gentleman; I have my own opinion; now I want yours: Which man won the first event? Is it Fuwa Sho…" the crowd cheered lightly, "…or Colin Richards?" The crowd roared as they made their choice clear. Hachiro signaled for silence as he smiled, "I thought so too. Okay then, Colin Richards wins round one, which means that he gets to choose the next stunt."

Kyoko had been saved from answering Kanae's question by Hachiro's interruption. Now, as she stood watching with clenched fists and shining eyes, Kanae decided to drop the issue. Whatever was happening, it was clear that this little vacation was going to result in some major changes. The crowd hushed and then grew louder as Ren hurtled down the hill and hit the ramp as if he was going for a distance run rather than a stunt. He flew with his arms above his head, like Superman, and then, at the last moment, he executed a perfect front-flip and landed easily at the bottom of the second ramp. Yashiro, who had scooted up next to Kyoko, said, "That was a Superman Front Flip. Is there anything that he _can't_ do?"

The Superman Front Flip does not look too hard, but the difficulty lies in elevation and timing. If the jumper has too shallow a jump, or if he begins the front flip at the wrong instant, then the result can be a very bad landing. If done right, however, it looks stunning. Kyoko was giddy with pleasure and beaming with pride as Ren trudged up the hill the second time. Had the rope not been there to check her, she might have thrown herself into his arms to congratulate him. As it was, her beaming face alone was all of the reward that Ren ever needed.

Sho went next. He did everything right, but he under-rotated the flip and ended up touching his bottom to the ramp. He recovered without falling, but the die was cast: Ren had won jump number two. Sho knew it even as he trudged by Kyoko. This time he saw Yashiro, and his irritated mind suddenly started putting the pieces of the puzzle together. _Golden eyes… golden… d*mn it, That's Kyoko! And that probably means…_ He stopped ten feet past the girl and turned around to glare at her just as Fujioka Hachiro called for silence. As expected, Colin Richards, a.k.a. Tsuruga Ren, had won the match. Sho whipped back around and headed up the hill.

It was customary in these types of challenges for the contenders to make all three jumps, even if the contest was already decided. Everyone was moving towards the advanced jump, so Fuwa Sho had no other choice but to head there as well.

While they were walking, Lory groused, "He's going to make the jump. Right now he's reverted back to Kuon… and this is Kuon's world. I can't even stop him!" Sebastian and Jelly looked at the man sympathetically, but there was nothing else that could be done.

Several sports reporters were also on the slopes that day, doing early prep-work for an upcoming event in late January. When they heard that Fuwa Sho, Japan's Number One Musician, had thrown down a challenge to some unknown foreigner, they immediately headed towards Stomping Ground Park. They arrived just in time to hear the results of the second stunt, and were disappointed. If Fuwa Sho had won it would have been great news and a big boost for their readership. Nevertheless, they trudged up the hill with everyone else to watch the last jump.

Hizuri Kuon was in full control as he watched Fuwa Sho walking towards him with a glare in his eyes. As Sho approached, he sneered and said, "Nice hair, Tsuruga Ren. Are you imitating me now?"

Kuon looked at the little flea disdainfully and smiled like the alpha-male he was, "Hello, Fuwachii, I didn't think that you had recognized me. Next time, you might want to think before you start throwing out challenges. Even someone as brilliant as you should know that it's always wise to know your completion. By the way, I think Kyoko and I will dine on steak tonight… this little contest has given me the taste for raw meat."

Sho knew that he was being insulted and it made his blood boil, but he couldn't change the fact that he had made himself look like a fool in front of Kyoko. He remembered that Kyoko had introduced herself with the same last name as this man, and he wanted to kill someone. "Fine… eat your d*mn steak and pretend to be married! But don't think for a moment that I'm going to let you have Kyoko. She's my property, and she always will be."

Up until that moment, Ren had intended to do something less spectacular. But now, after those hateful words, Kuon was determined to put this little punk in his place. He stepped up close enough that Sho had to look up to meet his eyes, and then he replied, "You lost your chance when you treated her like dirt, you little sh*t. Now I intend to treat her like the princess she is, and I intend to give her my name for real. So watch my jump and just try to imitate it."

Kyoko, unaware that any of this was taking place, watched with breathless anticipation for what was to come. This new pair of ramps seemed much further apart and the launch ramp seemed to point much further in the air. Despite her confidence in Ren, she couldn't help but worry as she saw him begin his run. Everyone watched this stranger with interest as he hurtled towards the ramp and then suddenly twisted around so that he hit the jump backwards. Instead of cheering they watched in awe as he shot up into the air and executed three spectacular flips while helicopter twisting, finally coming down, still backwards, in the middle of the landing ramp. The crowd roared their approval, amazed by this rare jump… but there were three pockets of silence.

The first pocket of silence was around Takarada Lory, as he rubbed his forehead in frustration. He had worked so hard to disguise Kuon's true identity until he was ready to reveal it. True, he had told Ren that men in love sometimes act foolish, but this was the height of stupidity. He pulled out his cell phone and shit speed dial for a long-distance number.

The second pocket of silence was around the two reporters. They had both been in the business for many years, and they knew that signature jumps of every top athlete in extreme sports. There was only one person who was that tall who did the Backward Triple-twisting Helicopter… a young amateur who had vanished six years ago: Kuon Hizuri. Looking around quickly to ensure that nobody was close enough to hear them, they leaned into each other and began talking quietly and urgently… this was the scoop of the decade!

The third pocket of silence was around one young blonde-wigged woman. She had been cheering with everyone else until, at the top of the jump, the sun had shone on Ren's beautiful golden hair. In an instant a flood of memories had flooded through her mind… memories of a blonde ten year old… the prince of the faerie kingdom.

* * *

**Notes: **First of all, thank you to everyone who has volunteered to Beta for me. I am in the middle of going back and forth from two hospitals where family members have been admitted, so I'll try to get back to you as soon as I feel that I can think straight… Right now you're wondering, _If you can't think straight, then how can you write this chapter?_ Believe me, this can't really be called thinking straight.

I'll try not to leave this as a cliffhanger for too long, but I'm typing these chapters while people are sleeping in hospital beds, and its getting hard on the back. Before you ask: Both people should leave the hospital just fine. As you may suspect, my home-relocation has been put on-hold for the duration.

Now, concerning the stunts: I hope that these make sense. The first was the Cork 720. The second was a Superman Front Flip. The third, which I've seen but couldn't find an example of, was a Backward Triple-twisting Helicopter. I saw it executed by a sixteen year-old, so it is possible for a fourteen or fifteen year-old to do it.

If you feel that Ren is acting OOC, remember that with his blonde hair and in this familiar setting he is reverting back to his old self.

I know you're curious about Sho's third jump. That information will be presented in the next chapter


	8. Dangerous Confusion

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 8 – Dangerous Confusion**

_**Author's note:**__ In order to make the distinction clear, __**I use bold type anytime anyone speaks in English.**_

He stood at the top of the hill, still fighting off the urge to pound the young punk beside him for what he had done to Kyoko two years before, for everything he had done since, and for the words spoken minutes ago. Six years ago there might not have been anything left to bury, but Kuon was older now and he never wanted to see the look in Kyoko's eyes that he had seen in another girl's eyes on that fateful night. He looked to the left and found her among the crowd as easily as if she had been standing alone. _Watch me fly, Kyoko. Be my wings._

To tell the truth, he was frightened. It had been many years since he had last done this jump, and though it was in his muscle-memory, he could easily make a mistake that could put him in a body-cast for the next six months. For just a moment, Ren came to the forefront, and a stray thought made him feel concerned. He turned back to look at his rival, took a breath, and spoke what was on his mind, "Fuwa-san… the competition is over. Do your best jump… please don't try what I'm about to do."

Sho scowled, ready for a sharp retort, but there was something in Ren's eyes that gave him pause. He continued to scowl, but he nodded. Ren turned back to look down the slope and Kuon took over. With an arrogant grin of exhilaration, he pushed forward and began to slide down the hill. In seconds he was accelerating towards the sharp ramp. As it sped toward him he crouched for his leap. His mind, detached for the moment, reviewed each tiny movement that would follow. Then the ramp was ten feet in front of him and he hop-twisted, reversing himself and striking the ramp rear-first. In a micro-second he felt the thrill of free-flight, but there was no time to enjoy it. He threw his head backward, arching his back and bringing his arms tightly together. The result was that Kuon's six-foot five body flipped end over end while spinning like a helicopter.

Kuon's mouth pulled tight in a thrilled grimace as the cold air tore the moisture from the corners of his eyes. Just as he had been taught years before, he "marked" the landing ramp on each turn so that he wouldn't become disoriented. As he neared the landing ramp he marked one final time and loosened his arms, allowing them to fly out and check his spin. He leaned forward so that his skis wouldn't dig as he landed backward and slid down the slope. For the first time he heard the roar of the crowd, but this time it meant nothing to him. His eyes, still moving erratically from the spinning, searched down the line until he found the object of his love.

He hoped to find the same adoring eyes that had rested on him after the first two jumps. Instead he discovered that those golden eyes were looking at him with shock… and something akin to heartbreak. He lost sight of her then, as the crowd closed in on him to congratulate him on his astounding jump. Frantically he tried to work through them without getting violent, but they were too enthusiastic and did not listen to his repeated pleas to let him through.

* * *

Yashiro had been amazed by the first two jumps. He knew that Ren was gifted and multi-talented, but the younger man had never once mentioned this new skill. To be honest, he felt a little miffed. After five years of working together, he thought that they were becoming friends, but he still knew nothing about the tall actor. He turned to say something to Kyoko, but he didn't see her, so he turned to speak to Kanae instead. She was also gone. Finally, he looked behind his back and found Shouko Aki standing there. He was going to say something, but her attention was on the top of the hill, where another young man was still standing alone. Yashiro noticed that her eyes seemed sad, and she said, "I almost feel sorry for him. I know that it's his own fault for acting so arrogant, but still…"

Yashiro nodded, even though she wasn't looking at him. It made him wonder if any talent ever knew or even tried to understand how much their managers cared. "I have to give him credit. He's going to do his jump even after that crushing defeat."

Fujioko Hachiro had to use a bullhorn to quiet the crowd and get them off of the course. It took several minutes, but soon everyone was clear and the way was open for Fuwa Sho to make his jump. The figure on the top of the hill pushed off and powered down the slope, hitting the ramp perfectly and back-flipping beautifully once, twice, and then a third time before touching down smoothly. It was a perfectly executed jump… for those who had remained behind to watch it. One of those was Tsuruga Ren. Ren met eyes as Sho slid to a stop, and he nodded acknowledgment of a fine jump. But there were no golden eyes anywhere to be seen.

* * *

Ren walked up to Yashiro almost without seeing him as he scanned the crowd for the one person he needed to see. With urgency in his voice he said, "Yukihito… please: where is she?"

"I don't know, Ren. She and Kotonami-san disappeared right after the jump." Ren pulled out his cell phone and hit speed-dial 1. It rang and rang, until it finally went to voice mail. Frustrated and worried, he slammed the phone shut, stepped over the rope, and headed off toward the hotel.

* * *

"Mo! Talk to me, Kyoko! What in the world is wrong with you?" Kanae was following the fleeing girl as quickly as she could, but Kyoko was moving remarkably fast. She couldn't understand what had happened. One minute Kyoko was smiling joyfully, almost idiotically pleased with Tsuruga Ren's performance; and the next minute her face was horror-stricken and she was pushing through the crowds frantically, as if running from a ghost.

"I'm not good enough… I wasn't good enough, Kanae. He was there all of the time and he never said a word because I wasn't good enough. All of this time. Twelve years I've dreamed of meeting him again and he didn't even tell me?"

Kanae couldn't understand what was going through her best friend's mind, but the pain in Kyoko's voice made her want to cry along with her.

Kyoko continued, "I don't know why I dreamed of meeting him, Moko-san… after all, if my mother didn't want me, and Shotarou didn't want me, then why would a _prince_ want me?" Tears were streaming down her eyes as she kept walking away. Her vision was so blurred that she didn't see the tall, thickset European man until she crashed into him, knocking them both over.

"Well, now, what have we got here? Aren't you a pretty little thing?" The drunken man leered. His companion, an even taller man, though more lanky, said, "Hey, look Carl, they come as a set; one for you and one for me."

* * *

Lory was just hanging up when Ren ran up to him. He was prepared to give him a lecture, but the urgency on the young actor's face made him pause, "What's wrong, Ren?"

"Kyoko; have you seen her? She's disappeared."

Sebastian, Jelly, and Lory all three shook their heads. Jelly said, "Maybe they headed back to the hotel?"

"Ren," Lory's deep, concerned voice interjected, "Did you tell her?"

"No, but I think that she's figured it out."

Lory frowned in confusion as Yashiro looked back and forth, trying to decipher the odd conversation. Lory asked, "How could she figure it out? You mean because you look like your father?"

"No," Ren exclaimed, frustrated and feeling the urgency to move on, "Look, it's a long story which I'll have to explain later. If you see her, please tell her that I'm looking for her and that I desperately need to talk to her. Don't let her get away." With that he turned and was gone, even before Yashiro could turn to follow.

Yashiro turned back to the president, "Takarada-sama, could you please tell me what's going on? How can I help them if I can't even understand what's happening?"

Lory sighed and nodded, "Very well. You'll need to know anyway, since I suspect that damage-control will be in-order after tonight."

* * *

Ren was unnaturally tall for a predominately Japanese setting, but in a resort area that served people from throughout the world, he was only above average height… at least it seemed so on that evening as he tried to locate the small blonde head among the crowd heading towards the resort. He ignored several attempts by women to attract his attention, and the irritation of men who were pushed aside in his urgent attempt to find Kyoko.

Finally, when he was about to give up and head for the hotel, a familiar voice spoke to him. _Kuon, turn back. She's been dragged into the building to your right._ He obeyed instantly, though he still doubted his senses. The building to the right was a large saloon, the kind common in any resort area, that catered to a more adventurous and troublesome group. He stepped in and scanned the smoky room until he saw a glimpse of raven hair through the crowd, and then blond hair. Instantly he was moving forward, oblivious to the others in the busy bar. As he got close he saw that the two girls were sitting on a long couch, being held in place by two large men. His anger burned and he no longer needed to push through the crowd; they moved for him.

He stopped in front of the couch as Kanae was demanding, "Get your hands off of me, you stupid pig!" Kyoko was just sitting there listlessly.

Carl, the man who had grabbed Kyoko, was confused and bewildered by what was happening to him. He had grabbed up the pretty little blonde with every intention of having his way, but his body wouldn't cooperate. Instead of dragging the protesting girls to the hotel room, his legs carried him into the saloon they had just left. Instead of allowing his hands to roam freely, he simply held her on his lap. It was as if he couldn't control his own limbs, as if his mind was not his own… it was frightening. His partner, holding the struggling olive-skinned girl was in much the same situation. Neither spoke, but their eyes registered their confusion.

Then, as if something inside had snapped loose, Carl's hands were free. Only now he wasn't sure that he wanted to try anything. His greatest desire at the moment was to go and hide in some corner until this strange sensation passed from memory. The blonde, who had been fighting him until now, suddenly stilled and spoke a single word, "Corn." He might have laughed, but then he felt the murderous aura coming towards him and he watched the crowd parting nervously as death approached. But this was a feeling that Carl could understand. He liked a good brawl now and then.

"Let the girls go now." Kuon spoke evenly, loud enough to be heard over the crowd, but without yelling.

The burly man who held Kyoko spat and said, "Go get your own girls. These two are taken."

"You have one chance to live," Kuon growled in the same voice, his manner as cold as the serial killer he had played on the previous summer. "If you don't let them go now, there won't be any second chances."

The man who held Kanae down looked into Kuon's lifeless eyes and shuddered. He relaxed his grip enough that Kanae was able to leap off of his lap and move away from the couch. The man who held Kyoko simply chuckled deeply and said, "Run home, pretty boy, before I turn that perfect face into pulp."

The man threw Kyoko aside and launched himself off of the couch, intending to catch Kuon off-guard. He was stopped with a snap kick that dislocated his kneecap, followed by the same booted foot connecting with his jaw and throwing him backwards. The other man was also moving forward, swinging a haymaker punch towards Kuon's face, but his arm was suddenly grabbed, pulling his own face forward to meet Kuon's elbow. The first man, a veteran of many bar fights, wasn't finished. He surged off of the couch again, this time kicking at Kuon's leg with his heavy boot. Kuon side-stepped the drive, bringing his own leg over the attempted kick and connecting his knee with the bottom of the man's rib cage. There was a distinct snapping sound and the man cried out, falling backwards.

Kanae used the opportunity to rush forward and grab Kyoko from the couch, pulling the smaller girl away from the chaos. They stopped just out of range, and it looked like the fight was over, but Kuon sprang on the inert men and began pounding both of them with every ounce of power in his body, breaking noses and cheekbones and causing blood to spray. Still he continued, and nobody knew what to do until Kyoko's voice yelled sharply, "CORN! STOP!"

The saloon was deathly silent as Tsuruga Ren knelt over the two bodies, his fist still poised for another blow, his chest heaving from the exercise of his body and the power of his emotions. His arm came down slowly and he stood, turning until he was facing the two girls. All of the rage from a moment before was gone. Now all that remained was fearful concern. "Are you okay, Kyoko… Kotonami-san? Did they hurt you?"

Kotonami Kanae was still in shock from the brutality of what she had just witnessed, but her formerly listless companion stepped forward and reached for Ren's clenched fist. "You're bleeding. We need to go take care of that." With those simple words, she led the much taller man out of the saloon. Kanae followed. Nobody stood in their way.

* * *

"Sit still!" Kyoko barked as she applied the alcohol soaked cotton ball to Ren's jumping hand.

"Kyoko, please talk to me. There's a reason I didn't tell you, and it isn't what you think." Ren flinched as the pad touched the mangled skin of his knuckles. At one point his fist had found teeth, and the teeth had ripped the skin off of fingers and knuckles. A doctor had been called, but he hadn't arrived yet and Kyoko wasn't willing to wait.

"You can tell me later. Right now I don't want to talk." She tried to sound firm, but she couldn't hide the pain in her voice.

Ren saw the moisture in one corner of Kyoko's eyes. Despite the pain in his right hand, his left came up and touched Kyoko's cheek. His thumb reached out and lightly rubbed the tear away. "Are you disappointed?"

Kyoko found herself involuntarily leaning her head into that big hand. She might have flinched away, but his question confused her. "Disappointed? I don't understand… I'm the disappointment." The tears started and her face crumbled. "You must be disgusted with who I've become. That's why you didn't tell me and tha…" Suddenly Kyoko was being lifted up into the air and deposited on Ren's lap. She tried to push away but he used his long arms to wrap them around her and hold her to his chest. "Your hand!"

"Forget my hand, Kyoko. It's fine; thanks to you." He nuzzled her hair, still disheveled from the wig. "I thought that you would be disappointed that I'm not a real faerie prince. I can't even fly."

Kyoko looked up as she leaned back, oblivious to the position that she was in, "But you do fly. I saw you today. There's absolutely nothing that you can't do and I'm… I'm plain… and boring… and…" Kyoko never finished her sentence. At that moment her mouth was occupied with other things: two lips that seemed like magic as they moved something inside of her and gave her a message where no words were needed.

How long they continued like this, neither knew, but at some point Ren leaned back and looked into Kyoko's honey-golden eyes and said the words that his lips had already been saying for quite some time. "Kyoko, I love you, and you could never disappoint me."

The doctor and Takarada Lory arrived five minutes later and the man worked on Ren's hand while Kanae stepped in and led Kyoko off to bed. The police arrived shortly after that. There had been enough witnesses to the treatment of the girls to provide Ren with justifiable cause for the fight. Unfortunately almost every witness also agreed that he should have stopped much sooner. "If either man wants to press charges, you may go to jail," the stern-faced police lieutenant said, "Personally, I will try to talk them out of it. They have both been in a lot of trouble here, and we were planning on sending them packing anyway. Honestly there are times that I wish I could do what you have done… I am a father of two little girls and I despise men who force themselves on women… but I need my job." They departed shortly after that

* * *

It was morning in California as the extremely noticeable couple walked through the airport to their boarding gate. His manager had moved heaven and earth to clear his schedule; not that he wouldn't have boarded the airplane regardless. Their son(s) were in trouble, and that was what mattered the most right at that moment.

Unfortunately, even a British Airways Concorde cannot travel as fast as a wired story. Before their airplane had even pulled away from the gate, the presses had been stopped in most of the major cities to make room for a new cover story: "The Missing Hizuri Emerges from the Shadows: Kuon Hizuri Reappears after Six Years!"

* * *

Ren knocked softly with his left hand, and flinched. It wasn't nearly as damaged as his right, but it was still bruised from the beating that he had given to those two men. He shuddered at the memory of Kyoko's peril, but he recomposed his face as the door softly opened and Kanae stepped out. "Is she okay?"

Kotonami Kanae had lingering doubts about what she had witnessed. She knew and understood that Tsuruga Ren loved Kyoko and would do anything to protect her… but the brutality… she shook her head to clear her exhausted mind. "She's sleeping peacefully, Tsuruga-san… or whatever your name is… Look, I'm tired and very confused right now. You can talk to her yourself tomorrow…"

Ren smiled sadly, "Kotonami-san, I know that what you saw has you worried, and I apologize. Let me assure you, as Kyoko's precious best-friend, that I would never harm her in any way… that I would give my life before I allowed her to be harmed."

Kanae met Ren's eyes and saw sincerity behind the concern. She nodded, "I think that there's no doubt of that now. We'll sort out the rest later. Get some sleep, Tsuruga Ren… I suspect that tomorrow will be an interesting day, and that hand is really going to hurt."

Ren chuckled as he watched Kanae slip back into the room. Then he walked down the hallway, pulling out his phone with his less-damaged hand and carefully dialing the number that he had been given at the park. Kanae was right about how difficult the next morning would be. He was going to need every friend he could call on.

* * *

Ashida Chieko sat stewing in the corner of the hotel bar, irritated with the way that this vacation was going for her. By now she should have been sleeping… or at least laying in Tsuruga Ren's bed and well on her way to trapping him into a marriage. Instead she had spent the day alone while _that little tramp_ had enjoyed the man's undivided attention. She had roamed all over the slopes hoping to catch a glimpse of the man, but she had never seen him.

Her attention was captured by the disgruntled conversation of three young wanabe starlets at another table. The girls were complaining freely, perhaps because Takarada Lory had taken over the entire hotel and they weren't worried about unwelcome ears. "I don't get it how two men like Tsuruga Ren and Fuwa Sho can be taken in by that talento! Can you believe that they _actually _had a jumping competition over her! It's so _annoying_!"

"How does she even know Fuwa Sho? I mean, he kept showing up on the set of _Dark Moon _like he owned the place. I even heard that he showed up on Valentine's Day with this huge bouquet and _kissed_ the little tramp!"

"What about what happened at Karuizawa? That really dreamy, kinda-scary rocker dude… what was his name…?"

"You mean Reino, from Vie Guhl?"

"Yeah, that's the one! Anyway, Kyouko runs off into the woods with that guy… you can imagine why… and the next thing you know Fuwa Sho and the Director Ogata go running off after them… like she's someone important or something… So they go chasing after them and Ogata leads the little brat back. Anyway, I heard that Sho beat the crap out of Reino, and then Tsuruga Ren shows up early and those two almost fought."

"Oh yeah, I remember: Ogata pulled us all aside and told us that it was some kind of stalker incident, and that we needed to keep our mouths shut. I don't think any of us ever believed him, after the way that she keeps stringing all of these men along. I just don't get it!"

"I don't know, but I do know that whenever Tsuruga Ren and Fuwa Sho get within ten feet of each other, sparks start flying. I'm surprised that they didn't just kill each other on the top of that hill. But, I mean, WOW! What an athlete! I never knew he could jump like that!"

"Well, I'll tell you what: If he ever needs to practice, he can jump me anytime." The three drunken girls dissolved into giggles.

In the corner Chieko leaned back placidly, with a feral smile on her face. _Fuwa Sho, hmmm. This could get interesting._

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ The following section will have a lot of English snowboarder slang. If anything doesn't make sense, look to the bottom in author's notes. _

Fujioka Hachiro stood and extended his hand as the tall blonde American joined him in the utmost rear corner of the darkened restaurant. **"Man, it's good to see you, Kuon. You really dropped off the face of the earth, didn't you?"**

The handshake cycled through a series of moves, ending in their two fists touching lightly. Kuon was grateful that the athlete was left-handed, but the process still made him wince. **"Howsithangin' Hatchi? I forgot that you worked here."**

"**Only in between throw downs. I'm hoppin' to Switzerland in ten days to film some commercials, then the circuit. Come on, Kuon, talk to me. Whereya' been for the last six?"**

"**Right here, Hatchi. I may as well tell you, since the Boss thinks that it's going to show up in the morning news anyway. Do you watch any movies or Japanese drama while you're in the homeland?"**

"**Not much. I always preferred snowin'. My girl was really into that one Dark Moon show, you know from…"** Hachiro's expression became speculative, and then shocked. **"You're sh*tting me, right?"** He laughed loudly, and then checked himself when other customers turned and scowled at him. He leaned forward to talk quietly, **"You're Tsuruga Ren? Man, I've got beef with you. My lady's always goin' on about you and it really chaps me"** He laughed again, **"I watched it once or twice, but the hills were callin' man. I didn't pay much attention to you, but there was somethin' really bitchin' about that scarred chick. I'd really like to meet her."**

Kuon smiled like the Cheshire Cat, **"You've already met her, Dude. You even shook her hand."**

Hachiro tilted his head in thought, and then his eyebrows raised in surprise, **"The snow bunny? Come on, Kuon, stop…" **He saw the amusement and truth in Kuon's eyes and he smiled brilliantly, **"Dude, I **_**knew**_** there was something between that teacher and her! You may have been with that hot little blonde number, but there just seemed to be somethin' goin' with you and scarface. Well, congrats, man, she's totally nectar."**

Kuon smiled and agreed. **"She' more than that, Hachiro. She's the one. That's why I'm gonna need your help. You know as well as I do that once I pulled that ancillary stoke, my name was gonna splash."**

Hachiro smiled, **"Kuon, I've known you since you were a meat torpedo. I taught you that Superman. I've got your back. Give me a day or two and I'll get the whole crew here."**

"**Thanks, Hatchi… only, no snow babes."**

Hatchiro laughed, **"Yeah, I gotcha. I wouldn't want to make your woman angry either… that scarface girl she played was really spooky." **He shuddered dramatically, and laughed again. Then, suddenly, he stopped laughing and became serious, "**I heard what happened to Rick. I'm sorry man. I saw Tina on the circuit last year… she told me that she was really sorry for what she said to you that night. You should really see her in person, though… get some closure."**

Kuon grunted, the pain evident in his eyes. **"Water and bridges, Hatchi. Water and bridges."**

**

* * *

**

Notes:

I hope that this last part, or the rest of it, wasn't too confusing. A lot will happen in this next few chapters, so cinch your straps and prepare for the ride. Some of the terms below will appear in later chapters. As always, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. You guys are totally nectar.

Ancillary Stoke: _To completely wow the crowd with a maneuver_

Bonus Life: _When you totally smoke the competition_

Dirty Pool: _Describes a really awesome run or trick_

Fall Line: _The most direct route down a mountain._

Meat Torpedo: _A child between the ages of 4 and 9 years, on skis, with no concept of fear or danger, speed or momentum._

Nectar: _Totally sweet, awesome, insane._

Poseur: _Someone who pretends to be something he's not._

Shut down: _Crashing very badly_

Splash: _To spread out quickly; when a boarder or skier does something that makes big news._

Throw downs: _Competitions_

Two planker: _Someone who prefers to use skis instead of a snowboard. _


	9. Revelations and Reunions

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 9 – Revelations and Reunions**

Kyoko wasn't asleep when Ren came to the door, though she had pretended to be for Moko-san's sake. She felt gratified that her raven-haired friend cared about her, but she really wanted time alone to think… to process the jumbled revelations and emotions that were threatening to consume her like a tsunami. Even though an hour had passed, her lips still tingled from Corn's kiss… _Corn… my Corn. How is it possible?_

She heard the knock on her hotel door. She heard Kanae rise from her own twin bed and walk to the door to open it… and she heard that deep, almost musical voice saying, "Is she okay?" The door shut after that, but Kyoko's senses were heightened by adrenaline and she could still hear snatches of conversation:

"…Tsuruga-san… or whatever your name is… talk to her yourself tomorrow…"

"Kotonami-san… what you saw… I apologize… assure you… never harm her in any… give my life… harmed."

"… no doubt of that… sort out the rest later… sleep. Tsuruga Ren… interesting day… hand… going to hurt."

There was a deep, soothing male chuckle as the door opened again and Kanae returned to her bed. Kyoko carefully controlled her breathing until she heard Kanae's breathing turn shallow and steady. She waited for five minutes more, rose carefully, dressed, and slipped out of the room.

Grand Hirafu has a lively night-life, but after the incident earlier in the evening, Kyoko had no desire to go out into the streets alone. She stepped onto the elevator and raised her finger to push a button. She hesitated, unclear on her destination, finally choosing to go up instead of down. The hotel had a top-floor balconied area and a restaurant that might be just right on a night such as this. The restaurant was closed, but the doors were open since Takarada Lory had leased the hotel entirely for the full seven days.

Kyoko was glad that she had put on her cold-weather gear because the night was clear and very cold. Still, the moon was out and the snow-covered hills were shining like a magical wonderland. She walked to the rail and looked out over the resort town. There were still people moving below in the green light of the moon and the occasional yellow street lamp. It was…

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Kyoko jumped at the muffled, seemingly disembodied voice that had come out of nowhere. She looked to her right and left, but seeing nobody she assumed that the pixie-like voice had come to her from another realm, "Hello? Where are you?"

There was a tinkling laughter behind her and she spun around. For the first time she realized that there was a lump of blankets on one of the settee chairs interspersed all along the balcony. There was a fog of vaporized breath coming from the bundle, and a little face with pretty eyes peeking out. Kyoko thought, for just a moment, that she was about to meet a faerie godmother, or at least a brownie… but then recognition came, "Jelly-san?"

"Here," the bundle scooted over, "Have a seat, Kyoko-chan. I've brought plenty of blankets."

Kyoko giggled at the mischievous eyes peeking out. Quickly, lest all of Jelly's warmth escape, she joined the tiny make-up witch under the blankets. Nothing was said for a while. They simply sat in their own separate silences. Then Kyoko saw the telltale moisture on Jelly's exposed cheek and asked, "Ano… Jelly-san… are you crying?"

Jelly sniffled and used a portion of the blanket to wipe her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kyoko, I just…" She sighed and didn't say any more.

Finally Kyoko, feeling a companionable warmth for this effervescent sprite, said, "Please tell me, Jelly-san. I'm a good listener."

The bundle nodded, and Jelly said, "Okay… but only if you drop the honorifics. Better yet, my closest friends call me Ten."

Now it was Kyoko's turn to giggle, "Ten? Why Ten?"

Jelly's voice became sad, "Takarada Jun gave me the nickname. You know western measurements, right? I'm 148 centimeters, which is less than five feet; but Jun said that I had a spirit that was ten feet tall. Of course," she dimpled prettily, "I think it's because I'm a perfect 10."

Kyoko giggled again, feeling very close to Jelly at that moment. Then her voice became concerned, "Okay… Ten… please tell me why you are crying."

Jelly sighed, "Just because I have a problem with a beautiful man."

"The President?"

"Hai… my Darling… or rather, the man who I've loved for most of my adult life… the man who doesn't love me."

Kyoko didn't know what to say. The longer she thought of it, the less she could think of any way to help. Eventually, it was Jelly who spoke again, as if she had never paused, "Jun asked me to come back and take care of him when she found out that she was dying. Jun was my best and closest friend, like you and Kotonami-san. She knew that I was in love with her husband and she never made me feel bad… can you believe that?" She gave a laugh that sounded a little like a sob, "Anyway, she asked me to come back and be there for him… and to marry him when the time was right. But he doesn't want me."

Kyoko contemplated that in the moonlit silence. She thought of Moko-san… and then blushed as she thought of Tsuruga Ren. Her tried to picture them together… and her mind rebelled as her chest tightened. She had too many unresolved feelings of her own; too much confusion concerning Ren… or Corn…

"You've had quite a night yourself," Jelly intruded on her thoughts. When Kyoko only nodded, she continued. She assumed that Ren had told Kyoko everything, based on the earlier frantic conversation with Ren and Lory as he was looking for the girl. "I remember when he first came to Tokyo when he was only fifteen. So much thick blond hair… and so broken; he was like a carbon copy of his father when he was young, only Ren-chan is more of a deep-thinker like his mother." She sighed, blowing vapor out into the cold, "He was certainly a beautiful young man… like a prince."

Kyoko sat in her warm cocoon and tried to process this information. She knew that Tsuruga Ren had first appeared in the public eye at the age of fifteen, but she had never heard anything about his parents. All that she knew, she knew from her childhood; and she was still trying to reconcile her childhood faerie prince with the image of her adult sempai.

Jelly started talking again. "It was amazing how he reinvented himself. He's a thoroughbred, the son of thoroughbreds. He was impulsive and reckless, temperamental and reactive; a real rebel. Something bad happened… Oh! I shouldn't talk about that… did he tell you?"

Kyoko gave Jelly only the slightest negative shake of her head. She wanted… even needed to know what had happened to the Corn of her childhood. Jelly interpreted Kyoko's gesture just as Kyoko had intended, so she continued, "Anyway, whatever happened really haunted him, Kyoko. But he came here and I dyed his hair… I have to do it about every four weeks… and he created this new character: the perfect Japanese gentleman, Tsuruga Ren."

Jelly giggled and leaned into Kyoko, "The only problem is; he changed himself so much that he was basically emotionless… until you came along. You're amazing, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko stiffened up at this revelation. She thought about all of the "emotions" that Tsuruga Ren had displayed… from the beginning, when he seemed to hate her; all of the times he displayed his angry smile… especially when Fuwa Sho was mentioned; and even the Emperor of the Night (she shuddered as an unwelcome tingle ran up and down her spine). _Were those all Corn? I remember that he was unhappy back then, but I didn't remember all of that. What happened?_

"Do you love him?" The question, though it was spoken softly from under a cocoon of blankets, sounded like Jelly had shouted it. Kyoko flinched and her mind reeled as her grudges circled. She had sworn off love forever. It was a ridiculous and horrible notion that only led to pain and suffering. _But still…_

"Don't answer that yet, Kyoko," Jelly said wisely. "Think about it… really think about it. He needs you. Darling calls you 'his talisman.' But you have to decide how you feel about him."

Jelly stopped talking then, absorbed in her own thoughts. Kyoko sat there and tried to understand what she had just learned. It seemed so odd to hear someone talk about Tsuruga Ren's feelings for her as if they were a given; as if everyone knew how he felt. Yet somehow, now that it was out into the open, her deliberately oblivious mind could no longer deny the truth that had hovered at the edge of her senses for months. _He loves me. _It didn't make sense, and yet it made perfect sense. Over and over again he had sought her out, eaten meals with her, given her rides, offered advice and guidance.

A soft snoring sound alerted her to the fact that Jelly Woods had fallen asleep. Kyoko felt a surge of affection for this tiny, heartbroken woman next to her. She had always assumed that Jelly and Takarada Lory were together, but now she knew that they weren't. She thought about all of the times she had sat waiting in the expensive apartment for Fuwa Sho… only, that thought didn't move her at all. Then her mind superimposed Tsuruga Ren's image, and she felt her chest tighten. The thought of being near him, but not being able to love him…

Kyoko didn't even realize that she hadn't experienced her trademark reaction at the thought of loving someone. Instead tears ran down her eyes at the thought of losing her sempai… at the thought of not being able to be near him. The snow started falling again and she shivered. Pulling the blankets closely around herself and Jelly, she snuggled in and tried to overcome those feelings…

She leaned Jelly's sleeping head on her shoulder… she leaned her head on Jelly's… she closed her eyes… she slept.

Somewhere in the darkness, a form detached itself from the shadows and stepped forward to look at the two sleeping figures. Sebastian pulled out his cell phone and made a call. Five minutes later, Takarada Lory appeared. Lory picked up Jelly and cradled her in his arms. Sebastian did the same with Kyoko.

Ten minutes later, after both women had been comfortably laid in beds in Jelly's room, and a note had been slipped under Kanae's door, Sebastian approached Lory. "Boss, for the first time in my life, I'm going to break a confidence. I hope that you'll justify my faith in you and do the right thing."

Takarada Jun, hovering nearby the two men, smiled and agreed with Sebastian: _Do the right thing, Lory. It's time to move on._

* * *

Despite the fact that he returned to his room in the well past midnight, Ren woke, as usual, at dawn. He started to stretch and then groaned as his hand throbbed. The only positive result of this was that he was instantly fully awake and alert. He stood and flexed, carefully working sore muscles from an afternoon on the slopes.

He remembered the exhilaration from yesterday and wondered why he had stopped skiing when he moved to Japan… although he knew the reason: That part of his life had belonged to Kuon, and it had no place in Tsuruga Ren's ordered and urban world. Tsuruga Ren, the epitome of civilized self-control… the lie that he had perpetrated on the world for the last six years; his greatest role; played to perfection… until a certain golden-eyed young lady came back into his life. Slowly but surely he had begun to slip out of character and back into his old self.

Careful not to get his bandaged hand wet, he turned on the shower. He slipped his pajamas off, stepped in, and let the powerful jets strike his face and body. Holding his hand above the spray made it throb, reminding him of how he had lost control once again, just as he had when the street punks had surrounded his Setsuka that spring. Last night, when he saw that goon with his hands on Kyoko, his control had snapped. If it hadn't been for Kyoko calling him back to himself…

He laid his head against the cold tile of the shower wall and closed his eyes. Once again he had lost control in front of Kyoko. Oddly, she hadn't reacted as he might have expected… in the way that Kotonami Kanae had reacted. He remembered afterward as well, when she dressed his wound; when she pulled away; when he kissed her. _My God… did I really…_ Then his mind completed the memory and he remembered how she had responded.

_That was last night, in the heat of the moment and after she had just gone through a bad experience. _He groaned. _What if she hates me this morning? What if she never wants to see my face again?_

Unable to wait any longer to find out, Ren slammed the shower knob down and stepped out to grab a towel. Working as fast as he could with damaged hands, he dried himself and dressed. Once his shirt was buttoned and his hair was under control, he moved quickly toward the door. Just as he was about to open it, there was a knock.

Hoping that it was Kyoko, Ren threw the door open, and was disappointed. It was Sebastian. "The President would like a word with you, Tsuruga-san."

* * *

Kyoko awoke to find Kotonami Kanae and Amamiya Chiori sitting on the opposite bed, waiting for her. A quick glance around the room told her that she wasn't in her own room at all. "Where am I?"

"Jelly Woods' room," Kanae answered archly, "Apparently you snuck out last night and fell asleep talking with Jelly up on the roof patio. Get dressed. We're going on a trip." Kanae stood up and stalked into the bathroom.

Chiori giggled softly and leaned forward to speak quietly with Kyoko, "_Apparently_ Kanae-san is a little jealous that you stayed up all night and talked with somebody else instead of her… but don't tell her I said that."

She stood up and briskly began tidying the bed before Kanae came back into the bedroom area. "Mo! Get dressed, Kyoko-san! We have a LoveMe task to perform."

Kyoko shook her head to clear her sleep-muddled brain. "I thought we were on vacation. I didn't even bring my coveralls."

Kanae shuddered, "We don't have to wear _those_! Look, we're going to Sapporo to run some errands and to pick up two important guests. The President insisted that _we_ have to go, but he gave us a nice little budget to have a fun day while we're at it… so get moving."

Chiori laid some clothing on the bed. "Here's your clothes. Take a quick shower here, get dressed, and meet us in your room. The President left specific instructions that you _are not_ to go to the dining room _and_ you _are not_ to go find Tsuruga-san." Chiori pouted dramatically. "It's not fair. I went to the advanced sloped all afternoon and I missed all of the fun."

Kanae snorted as the two of them walked out of the room, "Yeah, big fun. I still have bruises where that big goon grabbed my arm."

* * *

Ren walked beside the silent butler/driver/whatever-it-is-that-he-does until he reached the executive suite. Sebastian opened the door and stood by to allow Ren to enter, and then closed the door behind him.

Lory, sitting in his bathrobe, looked up, took his cigar from his mouth, and threw a paper across the table. "We're in luck! They wrote all about Hizuri Kuon, but they didn't connect him with Tsuruga Ren… so now it's makeover time again." Jelly stepped out from a side-room, a bottle of hair-dye already in her gloved hands.

Ren picked up the paper and blanched. His fourteen-year-old picture was on the front page, along with a shot of him flipping high above the ground on his final jump. There was an article about his re-emergence, an article about his disappearance, and a personal history, including his many visits to the police station for fighting, road racing, and reckless behavior. He grimaced and looked slowly up towards Takarada Lory. Lory lounged back while sucking on his cigar, raising one irritated eyebrow, "Kuon, you really know how to screw up with style. Six years of careful work blown in a single day. Personally, I'd send you back to Tokyo, or even down to Okinawa to get you out of the way until this blows over…" he saw Ren start to protest, so he held up his hand for silence, "… but I know you'd only sneak back here anyway, with Mogami-san and Maria's birthday party coming up tomorrow. Still..."

"I apologize, Boss. Disguise me however you choose, but don't try to send me elsewhere. Kyoko turns eighteen and…"

Lory held up a hand again, "I know; I know. Just so that _you_ know, I'm sending the pink trio on a mission today to get Mogami-san out of here." Once again Ren started to protest, and once again Lory stopped him. "Kuon, things may be a little different here in Japan, but you may go back to the States at some point. You and I both know that in the States there's a big difference between the number 17 and 18. If the reporters sniff you out today, I don't want Mogami-san sucked into this. She can make her own choices on December 25th, but until then I want you to give her some space."

Jelly stepped up and grabbed Ren gently by the elbow. "Relax, Ren-chan. I don't think you need to worry about Kyoko-chan. She just needs time to figure things out for herself."

* * *

When Kyoko stepped into her own hotel room she was greeted by not two, but three girls. Maria had either been invited or had invited herself on the trip. Neither Kanae nor Chiori seemed to mind. Maria had become a fixture in the LoveMe section over the last year… sort of the LoveMe mascot. Since befriending Kyoko, Maria had changed. Now she was much more approachable. Besides, for her, any girl who was a friend of her Onee-sama was her friend as well.

A van was waiting in front, driven by a personable middle-aged man who was intimately familiar with the area and untiringly patient. They ate breakfast in a small restaurant overlooking Odori Park. Then they completed their basic shopping tasks within an hour, leaving them three hours to enjoy the sites of Sapporo.

Naturally, they visited the chocolate museum. Kanae grumbled the entire time about getting fat, but she sampled the chocolates right alongside her friends. Chiori was all for visiting the beer brewery, but the others reminded her that none of them were "of age." There were many places to shop, and it seemed to Kanae like they were trying to visit them all before heading to the airport.

Most importantly, between Kanae's half-hearted complaints, Chiori's mischievous tricks, and Maria's loving attentions, Kyoko was kept too busy to brood over the events of the previous day. Whenever the girls saw a newspaper, they quickly diverted Kyoko's attention.

They stayed busy and moving right up until the moment that it was time to climb back into the stretch van and head to the airport.

* * *

The Hizuris touched down in Tokyo soon before noon. Several discreet calls to higher-ups in the airport ensured that the couple was quickly escorted off of the airplane and into a private area. There a man waited to escort the couple to Lory's private jet so that they could complete the journey away from public scrutiny. That was necessary because several ambitious reporters had already discovered that they had left the United States on the previous morning (California time), and they were stalking all of the airports for a glimpse of Kuon Hizuri's famous parents.

They touched down in Sapporo seventy-three minutes later. The little jet taxied off of the runway and into a private hangar, where four girls stood waiting. As soon as the couple stepped down the stairs a loud, excited voice yelled "Otou-san!" and began to run forward. And then the pretty teen stopped, confused.

* * *

Kyoko replayed her conversation with Jelly from the night before. She took a long look at her pseudo-father-figure. And then the name of Hizuri Kuu's missing son leapt into Kyoko's mind. Kuu saw it all and thought he understood, but it was Julie who closed the distance. In her mid-forties she was still stunningly beautiful, and Kyoko was momentarily captivated as the woman stood before her and said, "You must be Kyoko. I can't tell you how long I've wanted to meet you." And then she stepped forward and hugged the trembling girl.

* * *

Ren practically leapt out of his chair, causing Jelly to jump back. "You did WHAT! Boss, I haven't told her about who I am! She only knows the person she met as a child!"

"Calm down and sit down, Kuon," Lory barked. Then, confused, he looked into Ren's light green eyes. "What do you mean 'as a child'?"

Ren, under the magic care of "the witch," now had grey hair, a beard and mustache, and square spectacles. He looked like a Harvard Professor rather than a wild extreme sports fanatic. In fact, Yashiro had barely recognized him when he came into the suite to announce that the Hizuri's had landed and that the LoveMe girls were there to pick them up. Now Yashiro was standing by the side, hoping to hear more concerning the long-unsolved mystery of Ren's life.

Ren sat back, covered his face, and groaned. He told them the story of his first meeting with seven year-old Kyoko. "Boss, I met Kyoko when I went to Kyoto with Dad, back when I was ten. _That_ is who she remembers. She doesn't… or _didn't_ know anything about my parents."

Jelly stood there, struggling between amazement at how fate had reunited the two young lovers, and guilt for revealing more on the previous evening than she should have. "Umm, Ren-chan… I… might have told her…"

Everyone turned and looked at the tiny lady. She scowled back at them and said, "Well Darling, _you_ said that Kyoko had figured everything out! When we sat there together she never said a word!"

Lory shook his head and smiled grimly, "Ten, she's an _actress_; perhaps the best actress Japan has seen for many years. She could probably make you believe anything she wants to."

It was Ren that broke the tension by laughing mirthlessly, "Well, then I guess that she was at least a _little_ prepared… there's still some hope that she'll talk to me again… in the next thirty years or so."

* * *

Chiori and Kanae watched in stunned amazement as Hizuri Kuu polished off the last chunk of sushi from the mound he had brought to the table. Then almost danced back to the counter for more. Sapporo is famous for its sushi, and Hizuri Kuu seemed intent on emptying the city of its entire supply. His gluttony had its positive side: Kyoko was finally beginning to relax again as her Otou-san followed the routine she remembered so well.

Imagine, if you would, falling in love with someone and then discovering that he/she is actually the son of the King and Queen of England or some other country. This afternoon was like that for Kyoko. It was one thing to imagine that Corn was a faerie prince; the son of the King and Queen of the Faerie Kingdom. It was another thing entirely to discover that the fabled faerie kingdom was Hollywood, California, and that the prince's parents were internationally renowned celebrities.

For the first fifteen minutes Kyoko had been in a shocked daze, torn between feeling hurt that she had been deceived and feeling like a pauper dressed in rags standing in front of royalty. Thankfully the Hizuris had the natural gift of making people relax around them and they used every ounce of their gift to help Kyoko regain her equilibrium.

Julie sat on one side of the bewildered teen, the epitome of style and class, talking with all of the girls, while Kuu played the amiable idiot and keeping everyone in stitches with his antics. Kotonami Kanae, ever the student of human behavior, watched the man with interest. She had heard enough about Kyoko's previous encounter with the man to know that he was much, much more than he seemed at the moment. She appreciated what the couple was doing: already Kyoko had progressed from near-meltdown to skittish schoolgirl. Kanae was confident that another half-hour would restore the golden-eyed girl altogether.

All of the girls were amazed and awed to be in the presence of two people who had always seemed to be beyond the reach of mere-mortals. Even more amazing, Tsuruga Ren was actually their famous missing son. The whole situation seemed beyond comprehension. Still, they were sitting there and he was Hizuri Kuon and their best friend had hit the jackpot, whether she realized the truth or not.

* * *

Fuwa Sho had just woken from his long sleep after an even longer concert on the previous night. After completing his final jump he hadn't even bothered to argue with Shouko Aki about proceeding to his concert venue. The concert was well attended and he threw himself into his music, trying to block out the miserable day with his passion for music. Concert goers on that first night would all agree afterward that it was a wonderful concert… and that his slower, more meaningful songs were sung with powerful emotion.

Shouko Aki hadn't expected Sho to wake until late in the afternoon, so she had taken the opportunity to go shopping… in the hope that she might also encounter a certain bespectacled LME Manager. That made it easy for Ashida Chieko to slip in under the radar. Everyone who saw her passed her through, knowing Fuwa Sho's usual taste in women. She had also armed herself with a carefully constructed excuse and several official LME document covers to serve as props.

When Fuwa Sho stepped out of his room, buttoning his expensive designer ripped shirt, he found the beautiful woman lounging on his couch. He sneared and said, "I never ordered a call-girl. Are you an early Christmas gift?"

Chieko stretched like a cat, pulling the fabric of her blouse tight against her well-endowed chest, and eyed the young rock star with amusement. "No, I'm not your gift… but if you have an interest in a certain pair of golden eyes, I might be able to make the necessary arrangements."

* * *

**Notes: **Yes, I know that the suffix –chan is applied towards girls. Still, if you read the manga, you'll discover that Jelly Woods, who loves "beautiful men," calls Ren Ren-chan.

In answer to Cactus2000's question: Fujioka Hachizo is Japanese. When he began to be successful he started travelling to different countries and joined into the snowboarder's culture. As a result, the English he learned was from other snowboarders, and hence his English is deeply slang-ridden. As to your second question, I don't know if the snowboarder's slang is universal, but those I've encountered from other countries do seem to know most of the same words.

Oh, and Tina (see chapter 8) will have a small but significant role in this story.


	10. Schemes and Misunderstandings

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 10 – Schemes and Misunderstandings**

_**Author's Note:**__ Shiroyuki76 informed me that Rick's girlfriend was given a name, and that her name is Tina, not Angelina. I have gone back and made the corrections. Thanks Shiro-sama._

Shouko Aki tried on the hat and distractedly as she stood in the little store, until her attention was drawn to several familiar faces passing by. She knew that most of LME was in Grand Hirafu, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before some of them passed this busy throroughfare. In a flash the hat was off and on the shelf; and Shouko was headed out the door. She felt foolish, but she was determined to speak with him again. If she had his phone number, it might have been different, but they had parted ways so suddenly at the park that she hadn't had the opportunity to ask.

Never before in her life had Shouko been the pursuer. From an early age her biggest problem was in how to turn away unwanted attention. There had been boys, and then later men, who drew her interest, but never like this. For the last twenty-four hours thoughts of Yashiro Yukihito had dominated her mind. She wanted to see him again.

She strongly suspected that the bespectacled manager would have his hands full this morning, assuming that the newspaper article was correct. From her earliest childhood she remembered the story of two beautiful movie stars who had married and run off to the United States to become even more famous. Hizuri Kuu was still her father's favorite action star, and he watched all of Kuu's movies even though he couldn't understand English. Although it was illegal, she had obtained Japanese subbed copies of every Hizuri Kuu movie that she could find for her father. She remembered reading about the missing son while she was attending Tokyo University… and she remembered looking at the printed photo and thinking that the young man was hot, even for a fifteen year-old.

To think that Fuwa Sho's rival in love was actually the Hizuri prodigal son! She might have felt sorry for Sho, but he had been a complete jerk all evening long and she was losing patience. She thought that maybe the loss in the jumping contest might have taught Sho a lesson. He had meekly followed her to the concert venue and he had immediately thrown himself into his practice. His performance had been energetic and his slow music heart-wrenching. Unfortunately, Sho's good behavior didn't last. He obtained a bottle of whiskey from somewhere, became drunk, and became especially aggressive in his attempt to corner Shouko after the concert. She understood his sadness and loneliness, but she was nobody's consolation prize… and she certainly wasn't some object to be used. She had only escaped his grasp after pushing his back hard into the doorknob of her hotel room door.

Shouko was sick and tired of being thought of as just an object for men's pleasure… which was why she was hoping to reconnect with Yashiro Yukihito. He made her feel like a woman without making her feel like an object. He had been a gentleman to her, and she wanted to explore that experience and see if it was an act or the real thing.

She followed the relatively unknown LME actresses around the busy corner, keeping close as the heavily falling snow threatened to obscure her view. The manager-portion of her brain noted the snow and thought, _They'll have to move the concert inside tonight._ The woman-portion of her brain thought about sitting with Yukihito and sipping hot cocoa. They were walking towards a tall structure now. Shouko recognized the building as one of the better resort hotels. She would have reserved rooms there for herself, Sho, and the entourage, had it not already been booked solid. Now she wondered if…

Coming toward her, through the snow, were two men. One was very tall, with grey hair, a beard and a mustache. Beside him, looking short only by comparison, was the man who she was looking for. Suddenly she felt incredibly shy. She almost turned away, but Yashiro's manly voice said, "Shouko-san? How are you?"

Feeling flushed, Shouko Aki met his eyes and said, "Good morn… I mean, good day Yashiro-san… I'm doing well." _I sound ridiculous! What am I doing stammering like a little schoolgirl?_

The tall old man standing beside Yashiro smiled evilly, "Yashiro, you should invite the young lady to lunch." Shouko sensed amusement in the man's voice… perhaps even teasing. The man bowed to Shouko, "Please join us, Shouko Aki. Any _friend_ of Yashiro-san is a friend of mine…" He turned to Yashiro, "… unless you'd rather eat _alone_ with the young lady?"

Yashiro did his best not to let either Shouko Aki or Ren see his embarrassment. He could tell that Ren was planning on getting his revenge for all of the times he had teased the taller man about his relationship with Kyoko. His mind drifted back one day, to the image of Kotonami Kanae _and_ Shouko Aki sitting with him in the coffee shop. He thanked the gods that Ren hadn't heard about _that_ yet. In truth, he didn't know what to think about it either, since Kanae had always avoided him up until that point.

Shouko got the distinct impression that this old man was poking fun at Yukihito, and she didn't appreciate it. Her tone was cold as she said, "Perhaps it _would_ be best if Yashiro-san met with you later, _Ojii-san._ Either that or _I _could just…"

Yashiro finally spoke, "No!..." he flushed, "I mean… would you do me the honor of sharing lunch with me?" He saw old-man-Ren raise an eyebrow… either from being amused or impressed… but he chose to ignore the man and take the consequences later. "We should really get out of this snow. Would you join me?"

"Yashiro," The old man interjected, his voice now devoid of the previous teasing, "I believe that the young lady would probably enjoy Kamimura. His restaurant is just around this block. Why don't you take her there?" He turned to the pretty lady manager, bowed, and said, "Please enjoy your meal." Shouko forgot her annoyance under the intensity of the man's gaze. There was something powerful and magnetic about the man, though he didn't match up to Yashiro, in her opinion.

Ren turned and quickly disappeared into the snow. Yashiro looked after him and muttered, "If he gets into trouble today, Takarada-sama's going to have me drawn and quartered."

Shouko watched the man walk away and said, "He seemed rather rude. I got the distinct impression that he was having fun at our expense."

Yashiro looked at her sharply as he realized that she hadn't recognized Tsuruga Ren. Then his face relaxed into relief, "Well, I guess that the disguise works." He touched Shouko's elbow gently and said, "Why don't we get out of this snowfall and talk over a warm meal in a top-class restaurant?"

Shouko smiled, making Yashiro's breath catch, and then allowed Yashiro to guide her down the block.

* * *

High above Hirafu, on the peaks where the most extreme skiers liked to launch themselves down almost perfectly vertical runs, the snow swirled and built up rapidly. There had been heavy snowfall for a week, and then a partial thaw, followed by a cold snap. This cold-snap had crystallized the top layer of the snow, making it slick and non-absorbent. When the snow began again, it sat upon this crystallized layer without ever really attaching to it. The snowfall had continued unrelenting nearly every night and oftentimes during the day, creating a second layer, separate from the original and held only by the mountain's gravity. Occasionally this top layer would crack and slide, just a tiny amount, but the fresh snow quickly covered over these snow fissures, leaving a pristine and deceptively smooth surface.

* * *

Shopping is the universal language that all (or most) women understand… and shopping with an expert on clothing can be an exhilarating experience. Kotonami Kanae marveled at the ease with which Julie Hizuri had calmed Kyoko. The already high-strung girl had been almost at her limit after so many new revelations. First, her dear sempai had suddenly transformed into a completely different person. Then he had finally declared his love for Kyoko (If Kanae had guessed correctly about what had taken place while Kyoko had ministered to his wounded hand). And now Kyoko had learned that her "Corn" was the only son of entertainment royalty. This would be difficult for a normal person to handle… and Kanae would never have described Kyoko as normal.

And yet there she was, only two hours after the Hizuri's arrived, talking and laughing animatedly with one of the most famous and beautiful women in the world. Julie had even succeeded in getting Kyoko to call her "Okaa-san." Kanae was amazed… and just a little jealous. She felt like, with each new surprise revelation, Kyoko was getting farther and farther away from her.

Chiori sidled up next to Kanae and asked quietly, "Do you suppose that Hizuri Kuu-san had an ulterior motive last year when he asked Kyoko to call him Otou-san?"

Kanae looked at the shorter girl quizzically, "What do you mean?"

"I know this sounds far-fetched; but could he have known how his son felt about Kyoko? Is it possible that he already planned on making her a daughter-in-law?"

Kanae bristled at this. Up until now, she hadn't allowed herself to dwell on the possibility, though it had been there; nagging at the back of her mind. More sharply than she intended, she snapped, "Kyoko's only seventeen! She can't get married!"

Both girls were startled as they looked around to see if anyone had heard. Julie, Kyoko, and little Maria were busy fussing over a beautiful frilly dress. Chiori leaned closer, "Shhhh! Look, you and I both know how Tsuruga-san feels about her. It's pretty obvious to anyone who looks. Besides, marriage age in Japan is sixteen, with-consent… and Kyoko will be eighteen in less than thirty-six hours."

Kanae scowled at this, but she knew it was true. Now that the secret was out, and now that Tsuruga Ren had confessed, things might move very quickly… and Kotonami Kanae might lose her best friend. Thankfully, before she could dwell on this possibility, Kyoko rushed up and collected her, telling her that there was a dress that she just had to try."

Standing just around the corner, leaning against the wall and munching on a manju pork bun, Hizuri Kuu furrowed his brows in thought. On the previous year, when he first met Kyoko, he hadn't spent any time dwelling on the possibilities. He had met a remarkable young lady who had the courage to stand up to him in order to fulfill her duties. He had been witness to a young lady whose potential as an actress was surprising, to say the least. And he had known that his son was very protective of the young lady. Now he was discovering that there might be much more than "protectiveness" involved.

Seeing that the girls were all effectively occupied, he turned and walked the other direction. As he walked, he speed-dialed a number and waited for the answer. Finally, after four rings, he said, "Boss, we need to talk. How serious is this thing between my son and Mogami Kyoko?"

* * *

She stepped off of the bus into the heavily falling snow in Grand Hirafu. She had been in Korea, meeting with friends when Hachiro phoned. This was the last place in the world she expected to meet up with Kuon again… though it made poetic sense that they would meet again in such a place. It was at a resort just like this that they had first met.

For just a moment the chill breezed brought back an image of the last time she had seen him and her chest hurt at the memory. She had been cruel that afternoon, horribly cruel as she sat there on the ground holding Rick's lifeless body… and as his life's blood ran out onto her legs and down to the icy street. She remembered the tall, fifteen year old boy who stood there in horrified shock, unable to move, to speak, or even to grasp the horror of the moment. Tina exhaled a shuddering breath as her mind replayed her own voice spewing out those ridiculous accusations… and once again she watched that young face, those young eyes, as the soul inside withered under her cruel accusations.

Tina had loved Rick deeply and jealously; so jealously, in fact, that she had resented the time her boyfriend had given to "that rich, spoiled brat." Rick had rescued the young teen from a fight against overwhelming odds behind a bar in Mammoth Mountain. Almost immediately he had begun the laborious task of setting the boy on the straight and narrow. Tina appreciated what he was trying to do, but she had resented the time that it took away from her. Rick had comforted her even as he gently scolded her. "Tina, he's broken, and I only want a chance to help him fix himself." That was one of the thing she always loved about Rick: he had a heart as deep and wide as an ocean.

Despite Rick's scolding, Hizuri Kuon had still been an annoyance to her. He had basically become a shadow of her tough-looking, kind-hearted boyfriend. He had even given Rick a Rolex watch for his birthday, a ridiculously expensive gift, considering the clothes that Rick normally wore. Rick had accepted the watch gratefully, and he had worn it faithfully; which only served to irritate Tina more. As Rick and Kuon's friendship grew deeper, she began acting colder to the young teen. Kuon didn't seem to mind. He often came to Rick for advice on school, on dating, on fighting, and even on acting.

It was the advice on acting that had been the cause of the argument on that fateful day. Kuon had come to visit after losing an acting job. He had spent the first fifteen minutes droning on-an-on about how unprofessional and unfair the director had been. Finally, Rick had halted Kuon's diatribe by asking some very pointed questions. As Rick's questions continued, Kuon's anger had grown. Rick had finally made the point that the fault belonged to Kuon, not the director. Kuon, a young man with a very fiery temper, had yelled at Rick, crashed his fist into the wall, and run out of Rick's apartment.

Rick had followed the boy, ignoring Tina's protests. He had run down the stairwell after Kuon, and Tina had followed, muttering imprecations along the way. The two young men had long legs and she had been quickly left behind. She reached the street just in time to hear the screeching of car tires and the screams of onlookers… and she had seen Rick's body flying through the sky like a limp Raggedy-Andy doll. She knew, even as she ran she knew that it was too late. Even now, seven years later, she could never remember covering the distance from their building to the street. Her memories only included lifting Rick's bloodied head onto her lap… his lifeless eyes… and how cold he had been.

In her agony she had looked up and found Kuon standing there. She had cursed him and reviled him, spitting her venom until the young man had looked as lifeless as her dead boyfriend. Then, in one final act of cruelty, she had ripped the Rolex off of Rick's wrist and thrown it at the teen. Tina had always considered herself to be a nice person. She had never been mean and had certainly never been cruel… until that day.

Tina looked up at the sky and allowed the snow to strike her face. For the past seven years her memories had been haunted, not by Rick's lifeless gaze, but by young Kuon's soulless eyes. Within a week of laying Rick to rest, Tina had tried to contact Kuon. At first there had been no reply, and then polite dissembling from a servant. Finally, after repeated attempts at contact, Tina began to hear rumors of Kuon's disappearance. It took another four months before the media picked up on the story, but by then Tina had accepted the truth… and the blame.

She felt a presence and looked away from the sky to meet the friendly smile of Fujioka Hachiro. **"Hatchi!"** Tina cried out and threw her arms around her shorter friend. He had always been a favorite, with his wonderful sense of humor and his mangled English. **"Is he here? Where is he?"**

"**Chill, girly. I know where he's crashin', and he ain't goin' nowhere. You won't believe where he's been doing for the last seven years."**

"**Does he know that I'm coming, Hatchi?"** Tina asked anxiously. She had the terrible feeling that this was all an illusion, and that Kuon would disappear like a vapor before she could beg his forgiveness.

Hachiro, as if reading her thoughts, laid a hand on Tina's shoulder as he guided her toward his SUV. **"He'll be there, Tina. I promise."**

* * *

Kyoko was a much better actress than she or the others realized. She _seemed_ outwardly calm and relaxed as she sat in the van and talked with the three girls and the Hizuris. She _seemed_ to be reconciled with the idea that her great "sempai" was actually the only child of this spectacular couple. She even _seemed_ to be comfortable with Julie Hizuri's subtle teasing concerning Kyoko's relationship with Kuon…

She seemed to be calm, but inside she was slowly-but-surely reverting back to her tiny woodland creature alter-ego. Just two days ago Kyoko would have either laughed at the idea that her beloved Corn would suddenly return to her. Just twenty-four hours ago she would have frozen in fear at the idea that anyone, much less the great Tsuruga Ren, could love her. And less than six hours ago she would have shed bitter tears at the idea that any woman, much less a woman as breathtaking as Julie Hizuri, would welcome plain, boring, broken Kyoko into her arms and heart as if she were her own child.

The innocent child in Kyoko wanted to believe all of this was possible, and even true; but the broken, shattered, and embittered woman in her was rebelling against the idea. It wasn't that she didn't want these things, necessarily. Instead it was simply that she couldn't allow herself to believe that love and acceptance was possible for her. A part of her broken spirit believed that everything would disappear as soon as she opened her heart and allowed herself to accept it all.

So then, instead of feeling gloriously happy at what life was finally giving to her, she felt profoundly sad. If Tsuruga Ren was Corn, then she knew that she had to abandon her dream of her fairy prince. If he insisted on confessing his love for her, then she would have to give up a mentor and friend who had come to mean so much to her. And if the Hizuri's were his parents, then she would have to break off contact with them forever. It had to be that way because… because she knew that she couldn't survive another rejection.

Kyoko thought all of these things inside, but her ability to slip into a character was so well-tuned that none of the five other passengers in the van recognized the truth.

* * *

Ashida Chieko sat in the lounge of the resort hotel and watched the entrance like a hunter stalking her prey. She had found Fuwa Sho laughingly easy to manipulate, now that she knew his triggers. It was amusing and perplexing to her that the young musician, who had women throwing themselves at his feet, would be so obsessive about a little toothpick of a girl like Mogami Kyoko. _Well, to each his own. _

Of course, his interest in Kyoko didn't prevent him from also making a pass at her. She fingered the scarf at her neck and thought about the young man. _Maybe later, once I've driven that sniveling whelp Kyoko away and captured Tsuruga Ren, I'll give Fuwa Sho a walk on the wild side. After all, as much as he hates Tsuruga Ren…_

Now _there_ was a story: Tsuruga Ren, the great gentleman actor, was actually Hizuri Kuon, the rebellious teen of legend. It was amusing to her to think that reporters were scouring the area for another glimpse of Hizuri Kuon without realizing that their true quarry had been in the limelight for years. When she first read the article that morning, she had considered making a few yen selling the truth; but then she had thrown away that idea. There was always the chance that someone would discover who had sold LME out, and that would end her chances of snaring the tall actor. After all, now that she knew his true heritage, he was even more attractive… to the tune of millions.

Chieko looked up as she saw movement at the entrance of the hotel, but it was only a short Japanese man and a taller, very pretty blonde woman. Since neither of them figured in her plans, she instantly dismissed them.

Her quarry arrived five minutes later, surrounded by the two other LoveMe idiots, that Takarada brat, and a couple who seemed remarkably familiar. _Who are they? I know those faces… Oh My God! They're here!_ And for the moment, at least, Chieko forgot about her plans for Mogami Kyoko.

* * *

Kyoko continued her pretense of calm all of the way into the lobby, and then excused herself claiming that she had to take care of "a few small things." The truth was that she was at her limit and she couldn't continue the role any longer. She needed to be alone. She needed to think. She wanted to cry. Moving quickly, she distanced herself from her companions and headed for the elevator. When that seemed to be taking too long, she chose to take the stairs instead. There was no clear plan… perhaps the roof or the parking garage… anyplace abandoned and alone… but her feet carried her up three flights of stairs and her arms opened the stairwell door and she found herself heading towards Tsuruga Ren's room without any clear plan… and then she stopped.

There, standing and rocking impatiently on her feet, was a very pretty blonde Caucasian woman. She was knocking on Tsuruga Ren's door with evident agitation, because her hands were clenching and unclenching as she waited for a reply. When the door finally opened, the woman took a step back… and then launched herself forward as she cried out, **"Kuon! You're alive! I've finally found you!"**

Down the hallway a very shocked young lady watched the scene as something inside of her broke for a second time… and she turned and ran away.

* * *

Ren looked down in alarm as the young woman, whose accusatory face and cruel words had haunted his memories, hugged him tightly and cried into his shirt. He wanted to pull away and absorb this strange event, but she was crying with such anguish that he couldn't make himself push her away. He was conscious of how the scene might look, however, and so he pushed the door shut behind her.

She cried almost hysterically into his chest for several more minutes, occasionally sobbing out words like **"sorry,"** and **"not your fault,"** and **"I was wrong."** Then, as if suddenly aware of her own actions, Tina pushed herself away and looked at him for the first time… Her expression went from sadness to confusion… and then from confusion to shock as she stepped further back and her body hit the door. **"I'm sorry! I thought that…"** Her hands flew to her face in shame and just a slight amount of fear.

Ren spoke softly, **"I'm in disguise, Tina. Don't worry, it's me." **To prove his point, Ren turned and looked in the mirror so that he could remove the slight jowls and wipe off the heavier makeup. He couldn't do anything immediately about the gray hair.

Tina pulled her hands away from her face and examined the older man closely as he worked. **"Wow, you look… different. You've really grown too. Hatchi told me who you are… I mean… who you've been…"**

Ren chuckled, **"That's okay, Tina. It will be a shock for everyone when I reveal my true identity. I… I'm very surprised to see you here…?"**

"**I was in Korea, meeting with their Olympic snowboard hopefuls. We're organizing a big promotional competition in January. When Hatchi phoned I… I had to come. Kuon, I was wrong to say what I did. I knew it even when I said it, but…"**

Ren smiled sadly and pulled out a chair for Tina to sit in, **"I know, Tina… we were both in shock. Still, if I hadn't…"**

"**NO!"** Tina shut him off immediately. **"You were fifteen. You were upset. You ran. That was all. You didn't ask Rick to follow you and you didn't ask him to run out into the road without looking and you certainly didn't ask that car to hit him… I know that now… and I hope that you know it too."**

* * *

Kyoko fled back to the stairwell and down the stairs. Why she chose that direction, she didn't know. She only knew that she had to get away, far away. She covered the three flights of stairs rapidly and stepped out into the lobby, her mind numb from the shock of what she had seen. Thankfully, the Hizuri's and the three girls were no longer in the lobby, so she walked as normally as she could toward the front entrance. She was almost to the door when the call of a female voice halted her progress. Using every ounce of control she had remaining, she composed her face and turned towards the woman.

Kyoko recognized the President's Second Executive Assistant walking toward her, "Kyouko-san, Takarada-sama needed you to run an errand for him."

Kyoko wanted to protest, to scream in the obnoxious woman's face, but she didn't. She wanted to leave quietly, without making a scene. "What is the errand, Ashida-san?"

"Here," she extended a hotel slope-map to the younger girl, "He needs you to take a note up to several of the LME talents who are skiing at the tops of Grand Hirafu. You can take the lift almost up to the top, and then you'll have to use cable-lifts from there." She looked at her watch, "You'd better hurry. He needs them to get this message, and it would be bad if they move on before you get there."

Kyoko looked at the message in her hand as Chieko sauntered away. On one hand she wanted to throw the message in the garbage and escape. On the other hand this would give her a chance to put some distance between herself and this hotel… and Tsuruga Ren. She nodded and headed for the coat-check area, where she had checked her rental skis.

Chieko watched the girl surreptitiously from around the corner. She smiled an evil little smile as Kyoko collected her skis and headed off toward the slopes. Chieko would wait an additional thirty minutes before using her one-day rental phone to call the reporters. In about forty-five minutes Kyoko would reach her destination and she would find Fuwa Sho waiting for her. Chieko was confident that Fuwa Sho would keep her occupied for long enough for the reporters to catch up to the pair. She hadn't told Fuwa Sho about the reporters, she had only promised to send Kyoko to him. _We'll see how long Tsuruga Ren stays interested in you after this scandal, Mogami Kyoko._

* * *

At the top of Hirafu several snowboarders jumped off of rocky crags and launched themselves down the near-vertical face. As they felt the rush of adrenaline pumping through their veins, they screamed in triumph.

Just to the west of their run, the snow pack cracked and shifted, unobserved, before settling in place.

* * *

**Notes:** I have no idea whatsoever what actually happened to Rick. All that we know thus far is that he was following Kuon, that he was struck by a car, and that Tina ran onto the scene. The watch was on Rick's arm after the wreck, yet Kuon somehow ended up with it and it is featured prominently in several of the last chapters.

The next chapter should be interesting. I'll try not to take too long getting it to you.


	11. The End of All Things

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 11 – The End of All Things**

Fuwa Sho traversed sharply back and forth as he waited for the appearance of a certain golden-eyed girl. He ignored the glares of other skiers as they passed him to the right and left. Skiers loved pristine, virgin snow and didn't appreciate someone turning the choicest run on the mountain into corduroy. Sho didn't care. He had chosen this location for two reasons: first of all, very few people came up this high. Secondly, it was too difficult a run for Kyoko to ski down on her own. Once she was on this slope, she would essentially be a captive.

That was what Sho wanted, though not all that he wanted. He wanted her to remain alone with him long enough that she would have to listen. In his mind he played back one scenario after another as he tried to figure out a way to pull Kyoko away from Tsuruga Ren and back to his side. What was frustrating was that in every scenario, Kyoko would become one of her frightening alter egos, spit in his face, and slide down the hill of her own accord.

He growled at a scowling foreigner who slid by almost over the tail of his skis while yelling out imprecations in some unknown tongue. "Go back where you came from, foreigner!" He yelled. He pulled one coat sleeve back to look at his watch. _She should be here by now! Why did I trust that woman. This is probably some plot to keep me out of the way. The sky's getting darker too, which means that they might shut down the run. _

On a clear, snowless night skiers and snowboarders would be allowed to stay on the slopes until late, but during this heavy snowfall it was never advisable. Despite his arrogance in most things, Sho understood that principle well. After all, the instructor who he had paid so much to teach him drilled him about the safety rules often enough. Sho glanced up the ridge where some snowboarders had once again climbed. That was a foolish idea on such a day as this, but then snowboarders seldom listened. _Probably more foreigners._

His hand sought out the thick document stashed protectively under his coat and he smiled a Cheshire cat grin. Reading the local newspaper had been like an early Christmas present. The great and mighty Tsuruga Ren; Japan's Number One Most Popular Man; the great gentleman, was a liar, and a fake, and worse. Sho had only skimmed over the first article, which described him as a once up-and-coming star athlete, but he devoured the other articles. One article described his disappearance and suggestions that he had fled from punishment. It went on to list his many brushes with the law, mainly due to fighting. Another article focused on his failed attempts to follow in his father's footsteps, often losing his temper on-set, until directors didn't even want to work with him.

Sho had laughed like a man possessed as he read the articles earlier that afternoon… and then he had thought of Kyoko. _This is it! This is what I needed to yank Kyoko away from that long-legged poseur!_ When that dragon-lady had appeared in his hotel room earlier, he had agreed to her idea without any clear plan. He would see Kyoko. He would try to talk to her. She would lose her temper and stalk away. But this newspaper changed everything.

He turned back downhill and saw a figure struggling to maintain balance under the steady pull of the pommel tow*. He started to sneer, but then realized that an amateur coming up this far could only mean one thing. Immediately he began to carve an arc towards the small figure, once again ignoring the curses of a skier who was forced to catch an edge just to avoid him. As he came closer, he recognized the blond hair from the previous day, and smiled triumphantly.

* * *

Tina's face was anguished as she said, "**Kuon, I was wrong to say what I did. I knew it even when I said it, but…"**

Ren smiled sadly and pulled out a chair for Tina to sit in, **"I know, Tina… we were both in shock. Still, if I hadn't…"**

"**NO!"** Tina shut him off immediately. **"You were fifteen. You were upset. You ran. That was all. You didn't ask Rick to follow you and you didn't ask him to run out into the road without looking and you certainly didn't ask that car to hit him… I know that now… and I hope that you know it too."**

_Listen to her, Kuon,_ Rick's voice invaded Ren's mind once again,_ She's being sincere. You have both tortured yourselves long enough._

Ren frowned and Tina misinterpreted the expression, **"I'm being sincere, Kuon. I can tell that you've tortured yourself of this too. Haven't we both suffered enough?"**

Startled at the similarities, Ren blurted out, **"That's what Rick said."** As quickly as he said it, Ren realized that he had made a huge mistake. It was bad enough to be haunted as he was with this imaginary image of Rick, but to speak of it… and to speak of it in the presence of the one person who would be hurt the worst by such flights of fancy…

Tina's expression became set and unreadable as she examined Ren's eyes. Ren tensed, waiting for an explosion, but Tina softly said, **"He talks to you too, doesn't he?"** She spoke quietly, but there was a need in her voice that begged for understanding. She watched his expression change into one of surprise, and her face melted into a secretive smile, **"I was broken after what happened, Kuon. For a while I didn't know if I could survive, or if I wanted to. Rick's presence was there with me. For a while I thought that it was just his memory. Later, I thought that I was going mad. Now I realize that Rick had unfinished business… you… and me." **Tina stood and started pacing. **"Rick always said…" **she deepened her voice into a surprisingly accurate facsimile of Rick's **"…Time isn't something that's limitless. If you have the time to stand and mope, you may as well get on with your life."**

She looked at Ren's eyes, which grew wide with… with what? _Shock? Amazement?_ Then he spoke, **"Does he really… I mean… I thought that it was only my imagination…"**

Tina smiled tenderly, **"Yes, he really does speak to me… mostly about getting on with my life… and about you. I think he knew that if I didn't resolve what happened with you, I would never be able to fully move on. Kuon… will you please forgive me?"**

Ren felt something happen inside of his chest; as if something that had been broken was suddenly made whole again… as if _he_ was made whole again. He nodded, stepping up and wrapping the woman in his arms. They stood that way for a minute, and then both jerked as Rick's voice broke in urgently, _**"Kyoko's in trouble, Kuon! You need to go now!"**_

* * *

"What are _you_ doing here?" Kyoko growled.

"I wanted to meet with you. I'm here to protect you," Sho declared, not fully able to keep a knowing smirk from his face. He had to admit that his childhood friend looked amazing with her blonde hair and makeup. Lately he had been noticing that Kyoko had been becoming prettier. He could no longer call her plain and boring, even if he wanted to.

Kyoko had tried to use the long trip to the top of Hirafu to clear her mind, but nothing had been resolved and she only felt worse than before. She tried to deny it, she'd tried, but the truth was inescapable and her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest and fed into a meat grinder. _I'm in love with Tsuruga Ren. Why? Why did I let myself fall in love again? Why him? Of all people, why someone who every girl wants?_

When she saw Fuwa Sho approaching her, it was like pouring gasoline on the fire that was consuming her heart. She stood there now, oblivious to the snow or the cold breeze, and tried to process what Sho had just said. "What do you mean, 'protect me'?"

Sho attempted to paste on a caring smile, but it came out as a sickly sneer instead, "I want to _protect_ you from your wonderful Tsuruga Ren… or should I say Hizuri Kun? Kyoko-chan, have you read about what your _precious_ sempai did before he ran away from home?"

"What do you mean?" Kyoko felt tired, exhausted even, and too worn out to handle this annoyance. "Look, I don't have time for you. I'm supposed to be delivering a message…"

Sho grabbed Kyoko's arm as she tried to turn away, "Kyoko, _I'm _the one who called you here. There isn't anyone else; just me."

"I… I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Kyoko felt her control slipping and she needed to get away from Sho before she started crying. "I need to go."

"Kyoko! I'm the reason you're here!" Sho was becoming frustrated. He couldn't understand why Kyoko was acting so… odd… so lost. "That Ashida lady sent you up here because _I told her to!_"

Kyoko froze as the shock of having been deceived gave her the strength that had been failing her. "You – told – her – to?" She said slowly and deliberately, emphasizing each word. "You and _that woman_?" It didn't surprise her that Sho would associate with that type, since Ashida had the body type that he was always crazy about. Still, how could he not see the woman's true character?

Sho heard Kyoko's tone, saw her expression, and misinterpreted her reaction as jealousy. He felt a surge of hope for the first time since seeing her coming up the pommel tow. He also felt a chill run down his spine as he saw the same Mio creature who had first confronted him at Karuizawa… beautiful yet deadly. This time he didn't intend to surrender the high ground, "YES! I _told_ you, I wanted to _protect_ you! Kyoko, you don't seem to understand how dangerous Hizuri Kuon is…"

Kyoko advanced on Sho now, her anger rising and her grudges circling, "I _know_ how dangerous he is, Shoutaro. He's dangerous enough that I thought he was going to kill the mop-haired man, and the others! And yesterday, when the two men who grabbed Moko-san and me I thought he was going to tear them to shreds! But when they were only attacking him he never touched them... and he never let them touch him... and he was amazing…"

Kyoko suddenly realized that she didn't care how dangerous Tsuruga-san was… because he only became that way whenever anyone tried to hurt her. Both times she had seen him fight, it was to protect her… It made her heart feel warm... and then Kyoko saw the vision of that woman again, and tears began to form in her eyes… and then the noise, the deafening, rumbling noise in her head was driving out everything else…

"Run Kyoko! For God's sake, RUN!" Fuwa Sho grabbed at her hand and she pulled away again as the noise in her head became painful. She looked up at his face and saw terror. She saw his mouth moving but she couldn't hear any words… but she turned in the direction he had been pointing and she saw the wall of snow…

… and then Kyoko's world became a chaos of rolling and spinning and crushing light and darkness until everything went black.

* * *

Two of the snowboarders had climbed the ridge just one more time before evening was to set in. One more opportunity to experience the thrill of near-freefall for almost eighty feet before the cliff became a more gradual slope. This time they had moved slightly to the west where the snow seemed thicker and yet more jagged. The stood like kings, above it all and prepared for the ride of their lives. This time they would go together and race to the end… a perfect end to an already fun day.

The two friends spaced themselves ten feet apart, lined up, pulled their goggles down, and after exchanging thumbs-up, they jumped. The first ten feet were everything that they hoped, but then everything began to seem unstable, as if they were sliding down a mound of Jello. It was only after another fifteen feet of fall that either realized that what they were on was a moving mass of ice and snow. One looked over in his terror and saw the ground open up and swallow his friend. The remaining snowboarder tried to focus, to react, to stay upright, lest he also be swallowed.

The mass was moving quicker now, fast than the young man had ever gone on a stable surface, but he somehow remained upright and in-control. He felt a wave of exhilaration when, for the first time, he began to believe that he might actually survive this ride.

He never even saw the chunk of ice that kicked up from behind and smashed him into the tumbling mass.

* * *

Without a moment's thought or hesitation, Ren and Tina burst out of the room and into the hallway. Ren saw Kanae and Chiori riding the elevator past the third floor toward the fourth and he slammed the stairwell door open and rocketed up the stairs, taking four or five at a time. Just as the elevator door opened he exploded out of the stairwell, making both of the young ladies jump back in momentary fear. The fear heightened for a moment as Kanae felt the tall, gray-haired man grab her shoulders and haul her out of the elevator.

Ren tried desperately to catch his breath and fight off the feeling of panic, "Kyoko… where… where is she!"

Kanae fought off her own feeling of panic as she recognized Ren's eyes despite the gray hair, "Tsuruga-san?"

"YES! Please tell me: Where is Kyoko!" Behind him, Tina stepped out of the stairwell and saw the scene. **"You're scaring the poor girl, Kuon!"**

"Mo! I don't know. I _assumed _that she went up to talk to you. She disappeared as soon as we got back here." Kanae sensed that something was terribly wrong, but she couldn't understand what.

Chiori stepped in, "Tsuruga-san, what's wrong? Kyoko's probably somewhere here in the hotel…"

Ren shook his head, but he released his death-grip on Kanae's shoulders, "Something has happened. I just don't know…"

His words were interrupted as the avalanche siren went off in the streets of Grande Hirafu.

* * *

It was seven thirteen in the evening when the avalanche began. A shelf of snow forty-meters long shifted under the impact of the two snowboarders. The shelf, which weighed tons and was only held in-place by gravity, began to slide. The heavy mass drove into the slightly shallower slope below, causing the lower mass to buckle and displacing the top layer. Once that mass began to slide, there was nothing stopping it.

Due to the lateness of the hour and the heavy snowfall most of the skiers and snowboarders had already gone down to the mountain to enjoy the nightlife of Grand Hirafu. Other than the two adventurous snowboarders, there were seven skiers and three other snowboarders… and the two childhood friends/adult enemies. Of the skiers and snowboarders, only eight heard the movement above in time. They immediately took the fall line* down the mountain. Of the eight, five were good enough to hold the line. Three were not, and they fell, only to be consumed by the onrushing wall of snow.

Fuwa Sho and Mogami Kyoko were three feet apart when the wall caught them. Had they been struck by one of the solid masses, they might have been killed instantly. Instead they were struck by the roiling mass of softer snow that was being pushed ahead of the greater solid mass. In an instant the two were rolling and twisting with moving chaos. Due to the vagaries of the terrain the two childhood friends were quickly separated, with Sho being pulled to the right of the downhill slope and Kyoko to the left. Before they had travelled twenty meters they were ten meters apart. Kyoko's body followed a smaller mass that split off and dumped into a ravine, while Sho's body continued down the hill.

When the avalanche ran out of momentum, Sho's body had come to rest in a mercifully shallow pile, almost seventy meters from where he had been picked up.

Kyoko was buried deep, in a small ravine which, covered in snow as it now was, looked much like the rest of the surface.

* * *

Ren never bothered with the elevator, choosing instead to hit the stairwell with bounding strides which carried him down four flights of stairs and into the lobby, where people were already beginning to gather. He spotted the person he was looking for and pushed through the people to overhaul the smaller Japanese man as he was heading out the door, "Hatchi! Wait!"

Hachiro was all business now as he turned to see Kuon bearing down on him, "I have to go, Kuon. We need to take a rescue team up the mountain."

"I know! Look, take me with you. I can't explain, but I know that Kyoko's up there!"

"No-go, Kuon. You said that she's a bunny-sloper. There isn't any way that she'd be up there past the tree line. Now, I have to…" His progress was arrested as Ren grabbed his arm. He was about to jerk back agrily, but Tina ran up as well, yelling, **"He's telling the truth, Hatchi! His girl's up there; Rick said so!"**

"**What! Look, I don't have time for this nons…"** Hachiro couldn't explain what stopped his retort, perhaps it was something in their eyes. Whatever the reason, he sensed that they were speaking the truth. "Fine, Kuon. You have three minutes to grab your gear and haul your *ss back down here. Someone's bringing my snowmobile right now."

* * *

Kyoko groaned in agony and opened her eyes to pitch blackness. Never before in her life had she experienced such terror as the terror she felt when the wall of snow had engulfed her and turned her world into a roiling chaos. She tried to move now, but her breath hitched in pain as her leg told her that it was most-certainly broken. Her other leg hurt as well, as did her arms and ribs, but not as much as the leg that seemed to be twisted at an odd angle behind her back.

Kyoko's head throbbed as she tried to control the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. _I have to stay calm. I have to stay in-control of myself. _Fuwa-Okami-san came to her mind, and the image of stern-faced, beautiful woman helped Kyoko to exert control. _"A lady must always control herself, Kyoko-san. To appear flustered or to show strong emotion is inappropriate and uncivilized. No matter how you feel inside, you must always project an aura of calm and serenity on the outside._

Kyoko breathed deeply once, and then again. Concern for her oxygen supply mad her try to take shallower breaths, but thinking about this only made her lungs hunger for more. _Perhaps its better this way,_ Kyoko thought. _I'm a useless person anyway. What good have I ever done in this world?_

_Nonsense!_

Kyoko jerked, causing her leg to moving and wracking her body with pain. This voice was not Fuwa-Okami-san… it was another voice, a voice that she had heard several times recently. She told herself that she was losing her mind, or that her imagination was running away again. _I suppose it's fitting. I've spent my life fantasizing about a life that I will never have. I chased after love and affection from my mother, and then from Shoutaro. And now I've let myself fall in love with the one man I can never hope to have. So maybe this is better…_

_NONSENSE!_

"You don't have to shout!" Kyoko said crossly, though she had no idea who she was talking to. Her head was throbbing and she was beginning to feel the cold again.

_I'll stop shouting when you finally get your head on straight and stop throwing this pity-party. _It was a female voice, cross, but still melodic and pleasant. _What makes you think that you're so useless? What makes you think that someone like Tsuruga Ren, or Hizuri Kuon, or Corn, if you prefer, can't love you?_

"Nobody loves me. I'm plain, and boring! I've got the body of toothpick. I'm always making mistakes! I have no talent! I make no contribution whatsoever to this world and I only cause trouble for those around me!" Kyoko felt warm tears streaming out of her eyes and rapidly chilling on her cheeks. "The world would be a better place without me."

There was no reply for a long time and Kyoko began to think that it had all been her imagination. And then the voice spoke again, more softly this time. _Do you really believe that the world would be a better place without you, Kyoko-chan?_

Kyoko almost felt relief at hearing the voice again. "Yes… I do."

_Then so be it. _Kyoko's world turned white in an instant. The pain was gone. The cold was gone. Everything was…

She was on the roof-top patio of the hotel, standing beside a smaller woman dressed in a long, flowing, light-blue dress. The woman had a classically sculpted Japanese face, like pictures she had seen of a beautiful geisha from a period drama. What was the most striking about her though was the twinkle in her eye. She seemed like a woman who truly enjoyed life to the fullest.

Kyoko would have warmed to the woman instantly if she hadn't felt so disoriented.

"Where am I?"

"You should know this place. You and Ten had a nice conversation here just last night… or rather… you would have had the conversation if you had ever existed."

"I don't understand. How did I get out of the avalanche?"

"You were never in an avalanche, Kyoko. You were never on that mountain. You never ran away from Tsuruga Ren. You never spoke with Fuwa Sho. You have what you wished for: You never existed."

"How can that be possible! You're not making any sense! I'm going to go find Moko-san!" And then Kyoko ran.

* * *

**Notes: **Yes, yes, I know that this last part sounds like a remake of a certain 1930's movie, but it seemed like the best way for Kyoko to become aware of how her life impacted those around her. I hope that you will enjoy the following chapter.

* Fall line: The most direct path down the mountain. The fall line on an advanced run usually involves going off of ridges, coming close to trees, and hurtling down the mountain much faster than most skiers are capable of handling.

** Pommel Tow: a rope tow with a plastic plate that you put between your legs to drag you uphill on the snow.


	12. What might have been

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 12 – What Might Have Been**

Kyoko ran through the busy restaurant, ignoring the surprised stares of the many LME talents and employees as she hurtled towards the elevator. She stood there, fidgeting and looking behind her for any signs of the strange woman in the sky-blue dress. She sighed in relief when the door opened and there was still no signs of the woman. Quickly stepping in, she presses the button for the fourth floor and held down the "close-door" button until there was no chance of that woman following her. Finally, she relaxed and closed her eyes as the elevator dinged to announce the passing of each floor.

When the elevator reached seven, it stopped and the door opened to admit Kijima Hidehito.

Kyoko nodded at the handsome man, avoiding eye-contact in the hopes of avoiding conversation, but it didn't work. "Hey there, pretty one. I don't remember meeting _you_ before."

Kyoko scowled, "Very funny, Kijima-sempai. I realize that it's been a while since Dark Moon, but even your memory is good enough to remember _that_ far back."

Kijima frowned, "_That_ disaster? Were you part of that whole mess? That's probably the reason why I can't remember, since I tried to block the whole thing from my mind." He looked at the confused, but still very pretty girl and gave her his best smile, "Of course, I must have been a fool to block _you_ from my memory."

Kyoko shook her head as the elevator stopped and the door opened. "This is my floor, _sempai._ You really should go try your pick-up lines on someone who'll believe you. Ja ne."

Kyoko felt a little bewildered as she walked down the hallway to her hotel room door. _That Kijima; well, it was nice of him to try and make me feel pretty, even though we both know that someone like him would never even look at someone like me._

She arrived at her door just as an older lady pulled out her card-key and opened it. "Excuse me, but why are you…?" She stopped, puzzled, as she recognized Matsunai Ruriko's manager. "Ano…?"

"I _told_ you that I wasn't going to go unless I have the _green_ outfit! I'm a fall person, not a winter person! I won't look my best in these clothes!" With that final screech she threw the dress in her hand out of the door.

Kyoko was disappointed. She had heard that Ruriko had improved in the last six months, but this was just the way she acted on the Ring Doh set. She didn't want to get in the middle of this, but she needed to talk with Moko-san, and she needed to find out why Ruriko was in her room. "Ano, Matsunai-san… why are you in here, and where is Kotonami Kanae?"

"Who the h*ll are you? Wait… Kotonami… wasn't that stupid girl in the pink suit who followed me to the Ring Do set and messed everything up?"

Kyoko bristled at the idea of Ruriko calling her best friend "stupid," but she tried to remain calm. "_I _was the one who helped you that day, Matsunai-san. Remember, you gave me 100 points? Nevermind that, I really need to grab something from my things, and I really need to speak to Moko-san."

Ruriko flopped herself down on her bed dramatically, with her arm over her eyes, "Look, I don't know who you are, and I don't care. I've never seen you in my life and I would _never_ give one of those pink-suited losers 100 points. As a matter of fact, I heard that Kotonami girl got fired… and good riddance to bad rubbish, I say."

Kyoko was about to explode in rage, but a gentle hand touched her arm and suddenly she was back on the roof. Kyoko turned slowly, fearfully, and saw the lady in the sky-blue dress again. "Ruriko is the same, is she?"

Kyoko frowned, "Actually, she's just the same as she was on the day I was assigned to help her… only, I heard that she had improved."

"Do you know why she improved, Kyoko-chan?"

"No."

"She improved because _you_ frightened her. You showed her that there were people with serious talent all around her who might step in and take her spot if she didn't behave… only, you never existed, Kyoko-chan… and that never happened. Instead, after two more days she was fired from the movie. Her reputation was damaged because of it, and she's never tried to act again."

Kyoko shook her head in frustration and said, "Look, none of this makes any sense. I just want to get my bags, talk with Moko-san before I try and find a way back home."

"You don't have bags, Kyoko-chan. You don't have a home, either. You never existed, and so there's no way that you could have such things. And as for Moko-san…"

"What! Please don't play with me… whoever you are. I don't care about my stuff. I only want to see my best-friend."

"I told you, Kyoko-chan, you don't have a best…" The lady stopped as Kyoko's grudge demons wrapped themselves around her body. "Umm, you know your little grudges can hurt me, don't you?"

"I want to see Moko-san."

"Perhaps you should let me finish explain…"

"MOKO-SAN!"

"As you wish."

Kyoko found herself standing in the back of a dark theater. From where she was standing she could count all of the audience… all twenty-four people. On stage a young woman walked among stores until she found a wig shop and tried to sell her hair to buy her husband a gift. Kyoko recognized her immediately. "Chiori-san?"

"Shhh… you don't want to interrupt the play."

Kyoko whispered, "Why is she here? This doesn't make sense at all. This morning we were in Sapporo shopping with the Hizuris…"

"That never happened. As a matter of fact, Amamiya Chiori has no association with LME."

"But why is she here doing such a small play in front of such a tiny audience?"

"Last January, Chiori-san joined the cast of a show named Box-R. They couldn't find anyone to play Natsu, so Chiori pushed for the job. She got it, but it was a disaster and the show closed after only two episodes. She has returned to theater, where she has been ever since. The problem is, Kyoko-chan, that there is so much hatred built up inside of her that it is destroying her from the inside out. At this rate, nobody will employ her by the middle of next year."

"Look, this is crazy," Kyoko protested in a whisper. Then the lights came on, "Oh look, it's an intermission. I'll go and talk to her!"

The lady in the sky-blue dress started to say, "That's probably not…" but Kyoko was already heading back-stage.

Amamiya Chiori sat in her closet-sized dressing room, scribbling furiously, pouring out her bitterness onto the pages of yet another poison notebook. She ignored the first knock on the door. The only evidence that she had even heard it was the renewed vigor of her writing. Then there was another knock and the doorknob turned. With rage-reddened eyes Chiori whipped around, snarling at the intruder, "WHAT! If I'd wanted to talk to… WHO are you?"

"Ano… Chiori-san… it's Kyoko. I just wanted to find out if everything was okay?"

Chiori guiltily stuffed the notebook into her bag and stood. "I don't know any _Kyoko._ Who are you, another wanabe talento wanting to break into stage acting? Well don't bother. It isn't worth it and you probably aren't good enough even if it was."

Kyoko was taken aback by the venom in her friend's words, her tone, even her stance. "What has happened to you, Chiori? How did you become like this?"

Chiori snorted, "Life happened, Sis. Don't you dare talk to me like you know me and pity me! Now get out of my room, or will I have to call security?"

Kyoko felt a gentle hand on her arm and she turned slightly to see the lady. She nodded and turned back to Chiori, "Take care, Chiori-san."

In an instant they were standing on the street in front of the run-down theater. The billboard read, "The Gift of the Magi." It didn't even list the two starring roles. Kyoko turned to face the lady. "Who are you, and what is happening here? What has happened to all of my friends?"

The lady smiled sadly, "My name is Jun, Kyoko-chan, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened to your friends. They are simply living their lives in just the way you requested… without you. In their world you don't exist. You never existed. And because of that their lives are also different."

"But… but why is Chiori here? Why is she like _that_!" Kyoko demanded, desperation on her voice.

"Kyoko-chan, do you know why Chiori joined the LoveMe section? Why she was willing to humiliate herself by donning on that godawful pink jumpsuit?"

"No, in fact, I've always wondered about that."

Jun reached out and moved a lock of hair off of Kyoko's forehead. "She joined because of you, Kyoko. She saw something special in you, something that she wanted to experience as well. So she begged her company president, and Lory, to let her join."

Kyoko felt annoyed and flustered. There was no way that someone like Amamiya Chiori would look up to her, "That's ridiculous! Chiori-san is an experienced actress, Jun-san! Look, if you're going to waste my time, couldn't you at least take me to Moko-san?"

"As you wish."

The scene changed again. They were no longer outside in the cold, but inside in a spacious, richly decorated but darkened room. Kyoko thought, for a moment, that they were alone, but then she heard the chanting in the corner. Kyoko looked at Jun curiously, and then walked forward, around the huge, familiar looking bed. "Maria-chan, what are you doing?"

"I'm putting a curse on Grandfather and everyone on LME… except for Ren-kun, of course," She looked up with smoke-reddened eyes. "Are you a witch? I see that you have a familiar with you. Why did you choose a human spirit? You should have chosen something gruesome, like a snake, or a dragon. Humans are too boring."

Kyoko looked back at Jun in puzzlement, and then down at Maria. "Maria-chan, I thought that you loved your grandfather. Why would you want to curse him?"

"Grandfather is a LIAR!" she snarled, "He said that he cares. He says that my mother's death isn't my fault. He says that my father doesn't blame me. It's all lies! Now, are you going to help me place this curse, or what?"

Jun stepped up and petted Maria's hair, and the little girl preened. "I like your familiar. Can I keep her?"

Kyoko felt tears in her eyes. She used her hands to wipe them, and when she moved her hands away she was outside of the huge wrought iron gate of the Takarada Mansion. Jun's voice spoke from behind her, but Kyoko continued to look inward as the words touched her soul. "Maria couldn't go on the anniversary trip, Kyoko. In fact, she still hasn't been able to forgive herself for what happened to her mother. She kept causing trouble at LME until her grandfather had to ban her from the buildings. She still hates the holidays. She still can't fly. She hasn't reconciled with her father and she now hates her grandfather. Each year little Maria-chan's beautiful little soul withers a little more. If things continue as they are, Lory may have to send her to an institution in the hopes that _they_ can do something."

"But… why?" Kyoko asked in an anguish of tears.

"Think about your question, Kyoko-chan," Jun said kindly, "If you think hard enough, you'll find the answer within yourself.

The atmosphere changed again, and Kyoko choked as the heavy smoke in the large room filled her nostrils. Her other senses were invaded as well. The rancid smell of old alcohol mixed with the smell of bodies and clothing that had seldom known the touch of clean water. Over the din of harsh laughter and bawdy jokes, Kyoko heard a voice that sounded distinctly familiar.

Suddenly a drunk who was walking by stumbled and fell towards Kyoko. She put up her hands to stop his fall and protect himself, but his body passed right through hers, struck the bar, and fell to the dirty floor among to the laughter of all those around him. Kyoko looked at her hands and then at Jun. Jun shook her head, "This place is too dangerous for a beautiful girl like you, Kyoko-chan. The men in here don't know or even try to understand restraint."

Kyoko scoffed bitterly, "I'm not beautiful, Jun-san. I'm plain and boring. Ask my mother. Ask Shotarou."

Jun tilted her head and said, "Somewhere inside of you, you know that isn't true. But if you don't believe me, perhaps you could ask him?"

Jun pointed toward the tiny stage, where three people were playing. Just as Kyoko had thought, one of the members was Fuwa Sho… only, he didn't look like his normal self. He looked tired, worn out, disappointed with life. His voice was still beautiful, but there was a raspy quality to it that suggested that it had been pushed too hard and treated too poorly. "What happened, Jun-san? Why would Shotarou be playing in a place like this? He's Japan's number one musician."

"No, he isn't, Kyoko-chan. He is just another dreamer. He ran away from Kyoto, but there was nobody there with him to offer him support, or to encourage him on the many occasions when he experienced rejection."

Kyoko's grudges began to dance around her head, but the power of her bitterness and hatred wasn't there. "So, he didn't have a servant to wait on him hand and foot."

Jun shook her head sadly, "You were much more than that, Kyoko-chan. You were his friend, his support, his strength. He was just too young and too arrogant to understand it. When fame comes suddenly, it can be just as destructive as rejection."

Sho his an especially mournful high note and his voice broke. Several of the drunken customers either laughed or mocked him. One, who was close to the stage, threw the remainder of his drink on the band members. Sho erupted off of the stage, swinging wildly at the man. In moments the entire bar had joined in.

Jun touched Kyoko's arm and they were outside of the bar. Kyoko looked at Jun with a question in her eyes, but Jun only said, "Wait."

In a minute the back doors of the bar were kicked open and all three musicians were unceremoniously thrown out. Sho, his face bloody, jumped up and yelled, "You can't get away with this! He started it! You have to pay us!" In response to his protest, the door swung open again and the band equipment was thrown at the scrambling band.

As the three young men cursed, Shotarou looked up and his eyes grew wide. "Wow, you don't look like you belong in this neighborhood."

Kyoko looked around quickly and realized that Sho was talking to her. Her first instinct was to deliver a biting response, but after what she had seen she didn't have the heart to kick her childhood friend when he was down. "What happened to you, Shotarou?"

The young bleech-blonde musician wiped his bloody mouth as he walked closer. "What happened? You mean to me? Have you got all night?" His expression became confused, "Hey, why did you call me by my…"

"Hey, Sho, who's the doll? She's a pretty one. Why don't you invite her along?"

Sho whipped around and spat out, "Because this one's too good for the likes of you. So just shut up and pack the van. I'm trying to talk!" He turned back to Kyoko and his face softened, "Listen, girl, you don't belong anywhere near a place like this. It isn't safe for someone as beautiful as you. You should go someplace safe. I'd offer you a ride, but I don't trust my drummer to keep his hands to himself."

Kyoko met Sho's eyes and nodded. Then, in the blink of an eye, she and Jun were in a sunlit clearing. Kyoko looked at Jun and her heart was breaking. Jun spoke softly, "Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt, Kyoko. The Sho you talked to on the mountaintop was able to see what he didn't see when you lived with him every day. Kyoko, there is nothing plain or boring about you, but until you stop believing that you only hurt yourself… and others who are close to you."

Kyoko looked away from Jun and took in her surroundings. She gasped in shocked and pleasurable recognition. "It's the fairy clearing, Jun-san. This is where I played when I was a child. This is where I met Corn!" Her smile dropped and her expression became guarded, "Why are we here?"

Jun pointed towards a path. Kyoko directed her attention in that direction, and her eyes suddenly grew wide with pleasure as she saw a blonde head running down the path. She started to run forward, but found herself unable to move. Jun said, "This is the past, Kyoko, twelve years ago, when a young boy of ten ran into the woods to hide his anger from his father. I'm sorry, but you can't talk to him and he can't see you. In this past, you weren't there to greet him on that fateful day."

Kyoko's heart ached as she saw the boy, tall for his age, run into the clearing and stop. He bent over, his hands on his knees and his torso heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Kyoko remembered that day, remembered running into the clearing to cry, remembered his kind voice as he approached her. Only this time she wasn't there. After Kuon caught his breath he started kicking at rocks and ripping out plants as he screamed his frustrations to the world.

Kyoko watched the spectacle with horror, as she saw the pain and torment in the poor boy's eyes. She turned to Jun and said, "I don't understand? This isn't the way things happened."

"On that day Kuon had just been scolded by his father for getting in the way on-set. Kuu is a good father, but it is impossible to be everywhere at once. He didn't see that the boy who played his son on the movie was harassing Kuon, and he didn't see the dirty trick that the boy played. The boy blamed Kuon and everybody, including his own father, believed it."

"How can that be? He didn't act like that when I saw him!"

"That is because Kuon has a good and kind heart, Kyoko. When he heard you crying, he forgot all about his problems for a while. He liked you so much that he kept coming back every day for the next ten days. And every day there were problems, but helping you and talking to you helped him to forget… unfortunately, in this reality you weren't there for him."

The setting changed and something told Kyoko that days were passing. On each day Kuon would come and exercise his rage on the clearing. He would leave just as dejected as when he arrived. On some days he would sport a black eye, or a bloody lip. Ten days passed in minutes, and Kyoko's eyes were clouded with tears. Jun spoke again, "In this existence, Kuon went home even more bitter than before. The trip was supposed to bring father and son closer together. Instead it drove a wedge in their relationship that only grew wider over time."

"What happened then?"

"I can only show you pictures of what happened without you there, Kyoko-chan. The rest belongs to their own lives and it is not within my abilities to share that with you. I will tell you that Kuon followed the same destructive path as before, getting into fights and into trouble. I will also tell you that his friend died, just as before, and his friend's girlfriend became took her anguish out on Kuon, just as before."

"His girlfriend?"

"You saw her. She was at the hotel. As soon as she heard the Kuon had surfaced, she rushed over to meet with him and to beg his forgiveness for her harsh words on the day of her boyfriend's death."

Kyoko looked at Jun in bewilderment, and then her eyes grew wide, "The lady in the hotel?"

"Yes. You jumped to a conclusion due to your own insecurities. Tell me, have you found Tsuruga Ren to be untrustworthy in the past?"

Kyoko's cheeks colored with shame and self-reproach, "Never! He has been my greatest support."

"Food for thought, Kyoko-chan. Food for thought. Now, I'll fulfill my promise."

The atmosphere changed and the fresh air of the clearing gave way to city smog. Kyoko saw a sign for a cosplay diner, and she raised her eyebrows in confusion. It was the type of place where men went to ogle and harass young women dressed in costumes from different anime shows. It was the type of place that neither Kyoko or anyone she knew would _ever_ work.

"Before we go in, Kyoko, I must warn you that you can neither be seen nor can you interact, so don't bother trying."

"O-okay? Why is that a problem?" Jun just gestured for Kyoko to precede her.

As soon as Kyoko stepped inside, she looked across the crowded dining room and saw her. "MOKO-SAN!" She yelled in delight, dodging among the close press of the tables until she could reach her best friend and wrap the beautiful girl in her arms… which didn't work. As Kyoko launched herself at her friend she felt herself falling through Kanae, and the customers behind her, and the table.

Confused, she sat there on the floor under the table until Jun's head poked through the table to look at her, "I did tell you."

Kyoko pouted, near to tears from her desire to interact with her friend. "I don't get it, Jun. Why is Moko-san here of all places. She would never work in a place like this."

Just then a man tried to pinch Kanae, earning himself a slap across the face. "Mo! Keep your hands on the table or I'll chop them off and serve them to you!" For the first time Kyoko took a good look at Kanae, and she gasped. Her dearest friend was dressed in ridiculously tiny black leather shorts, a bikini top, and a long, open trench coat. A long, obviously plastic sword was strapped to her back. Her upper chest was exposed, her midriff was exposed, and her long, shapely legs were exposed down to calf-length leather boots.

"Kotonami-san, come here please!" Kanae's already angry face grew darker still, but she bit her tongue and marched over to the owner. Kyoko wanted to intervene, but she was unable to, so she stayed away from the conversation. Unfortunately this allowed her to see who was walking through the front door… and she still couldn't do anything about it. She cringed as Kanae's arch-enemy, Koenji Erika, sauntered in with two friends. They settled over-gracefully at a small table. When a different waitress walked up to serve them, she was rudely waved away. It was immediately clear that Erika was waiting for Kanae.

Kyoko looked urgently at Jun, her eyes pleading. "Please, Jun-san? Don't let her humiliate Moko-san?"

Jun took another look at Erika and her pit-vipers, and she smiled. "Okay, Kyoko-chan, just this once."

Kyoko's grin looked decidedly like something that Mio might wear as she moved quickly and invisibly toward the three young women. To the right of the ladies was a large man who was eating double-slice of berry pie. As he lifted his fork to his mouth, his hand jerked and the mixture flew into the air, landing on Erika's white designer blouse. As she shrieked, another younger man tripped, falling forward and pouring the entire contents of his cold soft-drink down her back, while spraying what missed Erika over the other two ladies. As if fate was not satisfied, Erika stood up quickly, flinging her arms wide and upsetting the tray of ice-cream sundaes all over her designer jeans.

Yelling obscenities while trying to ignore the roaring laughter all around her, Erika ran out of the building, followed closely by her two friends. The owner, done with his scolding of Kanae, looked up in shock as the trio made their noisy exit. Kyoko only wished that Kanae could have seen it all.

Laughing evilly to herself, Mio walked back to Jun. Jun shook her head and said, "Mio, may I please have Kyoko back?" When it was clear that she had Kyoko's attention, she said, "You haven't really helped her, Kyoko-chan, no matter how much fun you had. She will work here today, and tomorrow, and into the future until she loses her temper once too many times and it costs her the job."

Kyoko's smile dropped away. "Why is Moko-san working at a place like this, Jun-san?"

"Because you weren't there for her, Kyoko-san," Jun answered bluntly. "You weren't there when Lory asked her to wear that ridiculous pink outfit. You weren't there when she couldn't pay her fees for LME's Acting School. You weren't there during the Curara commercial, when Erika used her father's name to influence the judging. You weren't there to call her Moko-san every time she felt like just throwing in the towel. To Kotonami Kanae you are a very important person… or perhaps I should say that you _were_ an important person."

Kyoko frowned as she tried to process the idea that she might be important to anybody, much less several people. Throughout her short life she had been made to believe that she was a disappointment, until the point where she had internalized that belief. Now Jun was making her rethink that belief.

Jun saw that Kyoko still wasn't convinced, so she sighed and said, "I really didn't want to show you this, Kyoko-chan, but now I see that it is necessary. Before Kyoko could reply, the world shifted one more time, and Kyoko found herself in Ren's apartment.

And what she saw made her want to cry.

* * *

**Notes: **I hope that this is making sense so far. I'll try to update soon.

Thank you to everyone who has read and responded. I really do appreciate it, even if I don't have the time right now to reply to everyone's review. I do apologize.


	13. Chaos and Choices

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 13 – Chaos and Choices**

_Jun saw that Kyoko still wasn't convinced, so she sighed and said, "I really didn't want to show you this, Kyoko-chan, but now I see that it is necessary. Before Kyoko could reply, the world shifted one more time, and Kyoko found herself in Ren's apartment._

_And what she saw made her want to cry._

Kyoko stood in momentary shock as she saw the tall figure sitting on the floor, leaning against the seat of the couch… or rather slumped against it. All around him were strewn empty bottles. Some were beer, but most had once been filled with hard liquor. On the screen in front of him a scene from _Dark Moon_ was showing, but Ren was passed out and wasn't seeing anything.

A sob escaped Kyoko's throat and she ran forward, wrapping her arms around her sempai's bent head, pulling him to her in an anguish of concern. Ren's figure slumped into her, and she found herself kneeling like that, holding his head while she pushed at the stringy hair that obscured his face. He smelled of smoke and alcohol and sweat. He needed a bath or shower desperately, but Kyoko disregarded the smells as she cradled him close and rocked on her folded legs. Her eyes met Jun's, and her expression begged for information.

"As I told you, Kuon went home and continued to get into trouble. Except for a few minor incidents, everything happened the same as in your realm of existence. He lost his friend. He lost hope. Takarada Lory visited and spirited Kuon off to Japan, just as before. He became Japan's Number One Actor. Everything went much the same as before, until he refused to listen to Lory and he agreed to act as Katsuki in _Dark Moon._ Can you guess what happened?"

Kyoko was in no mood for guessing games, but she asked anyway, "What happened?"

"He failed. He couldn't act out Katsuki's love for Mizuki, and he failed. In fact, the whole show eventually flopped."

"But why?" She suddenly remembered her elevator ride with Kijima Hidehito, and his words. "_That disaster?"_ It didn't make sense to her. _Dark Moon _was a great show, number one in its season. How could it have failed? "How could Tsuruga-sempai have failed? How could the show fail?"

"I think you know the answer," Jun said softly.

"That's ridiculous! You can't tell me that _my_ absence could have made that much of a difference!"

Jun sighed, "On the day that you found your Mio you inspired Director Ogata and many of the others to make something new and better than the original. You became the spirit of that show, Kyoko, even though you played the villain. They told themselves things like 'If a beginner can do so well, then I have no excuse.' You _inspired_ them, Kyoko-chan."

Kyoko petted Ren's sweating head and said, "Fine! Let's say that I accept your words… what does that have to do with Tsuruga Ren? He's the best actor in Japan! You can't tell me that my absence made a difference to him!"

"His acting was just fine, Kyoko-chan, except for one small problem: He didn't know how to act out love."

"I already said it: Ridiculous. He can act _anything_! He's the best there is!"

Jun met and held her eyes, "Kyoko, you're letting your love get in the way of your reason. Have you forgotten what was happening before Tsuruga Ren's Katsuki test?"

Kyoko remembered the multiple NGs, the frustration, and the sense that her indestructible sempai was falling apart. She nodded reluctantly and replied, "I still don't understand how _I_ made a difference."

* * *

"Sir, I think that you're wasting your time," the rescue worker gently chided, "There are no beacons coming from this spot. Are you even sure that a beginner was up this high?" He frowned at the tall man who was digging into the snow like a dog.

Ren was gone and Kuon was in full-control. He turned angry eyes on the man and replied in the voice of death, "She is here, and I am not leaving." Several others were arriving now, including LME members. Kijima stepped up and said, "Tell me what to do, Ren. We'll all help."

Ren looked up gratefully, "Dig, Kijima. Everybody dig. Kyoko is down there." The desperation in his voice was enough to convince everyone. The rescue worker started to throw his arms up in exasperation, but just then Hachiro pulled up on his snowmobile with Tina and a pile of shovels.

The rescue worker knew Hachiro well, and respected him. "Hachiro-san, there's no beacon, you know as well as I do…"

"Trust me. I can't explain, but trust me. The woman he's digging for is definitely down there. Now you can help us or you can go search for beacons; your choice."

The man grimaced, but he grabbed a shovel and started directing operations.

* * *

Jun took a seat on the coffee table. "What happened on the night before the test, Kyoko?"

Kyoko remembered the test, and blushed. "Umm… Tsuruga-sempai asked for my help him to practice."

"And?"

"And… I acted as Mizuki and… he figured out his Katsuki. He went to the studio the next day and he was perfect; more than perfect, he was spectacular!" Kyoko replied, smugly proud of her sempai.

"What are you leaving out, Kyoko-chan," Jun gently prompted.

"I… I tried to get a pan from the upper cupboard and I fell," She blushed at the memory, "Tsuruga-san caught me and…" Kyoko's whole body warmed as she remembered the incident. "He became the Emperor of the Night. He asked me if I had ever been kissed. But he didn't do anything."

Jun crossed her legs and grinned, "That was the precise moment that your 'sempai' finally realized that he was deeply in love with you, Kyoko. It gave him the feeling that he was missing. And twelve hours later, when he acted out that scene, he wasn't seeing Mizuki… he was seeing you."

Kyoko remembered the power of that scene. She remembered how moved she had been by the scene, even though she had sworn off love. Any woman would want to be loved like that. Her eyes teared up again as she looked down at Ren's unconscious face. "Really?" Her voice sounded almost childlike.

"Really… only, now that you never existed, he never found that feeling. Kyoko, he failed the test. This was his one chance to show the world that he could compete with his father, and he failed. It has been slowly destroying his confidence ever since."

* * *

The reporters who Ashida Chieko had called were on the mountain now. They found several human interest stories among the other rescued skiers, but it was when they heard out about the frantic search for one young lady that they hit a jackpot. The LME celebrities were unconcerned about being recognized at the moment, and they had set their disguises aside. Once the reporters knew the agency, they naturally began to look for the top stars. They didn't need to look far. There, in the middle of the huddled workers, was one very tall man who was digging frantically to reach the young lady in question.

As the digging continued one observant reporter began to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Within two hours, as night set in, phone calls were burning up the international circuits trying to tie the names of Tsuruga Ren and Hizuri Kuon together. On the local side, reporters began to ask about the connection between Kyouko, Fuwa Sho, and Tsuruga Ren.

The speculation only grew worse when a reporter recognized Yashiro and Shouko Aki as they arrived on the scene. Obviously, the reporters wanted to know what the connection was. Several of them rushed up to confront the pair, but Yashiro Yukihito's trademark manager glare quickly discouraged them. "There is a young woman whose life is in serious danger. Can we have some dignity here, please?"

The older reporter, Daishi Sotaru, was a man of integrity, and Yashiro's words gave him pause. He met the eyes of the two managers, and he bowed. "I will honor your request, Yashiro-san. My prayers are with the young lady."

* * *

Jun allowed Kyoko to sit in silence and hold her sempai for several minutes before she sighed and stood. "Well, I guess that we're done here." Instantly Kyoko felt the weight of Ren's head disappear. She gave a startled gasp as his body, which was already leaning, began to fall through her.

"We need to go, Kyoko-chan." Jun said in a kind tone.

Kyoko tried in vain to prop Ren back up, but her hands simply went through him. "No!" She cried, "We can't leave him like this, Jun-san!"

"Kyoko, we didn't leave him. We were never here. You don't exist and you have no role in his life. Now, come, we have to move on."

Kyoko gave up on trying to prop Ren up and she stood. "Jun… please! I can't leave him…" She stopped for a moment as Ren jerked awake. He groaned and pushed himself up, bleary-eyed. Mumbling, he randomly moved his hand around until his hands found the neck of an empty bottle. Chuckling triumphantly, he brought the bottle to his lips. It took him a moment to realize that nothing was coming out. Grumbling, he looked at the bottle, shook it, and then tossed it, shattering it against the wall.

Kyoko watched with tears streaming down her face as he rummaged through the other bottles. Failing to find what he was looking for, he pushed himself upright and stumbled to a cupboard. After staring into the empty cupboard for what seemed like an eternity to Kyoko, he turned and walked to the counter where he had thrown his keys. Kyoko, realizing his intent, tried to grab his arm. When her hands passed through his arm she turned pleading eyes on Jun, "Please, Jun! Please stop him!"

Jun shook her head sadly. "There is nothing that I can do, Kyoko. We are only here to observe."

Kyoko wasn't listening. She had already followed Ren out of the apartment. She continued to talk with him and plead with him as the elevator descended to the parking garage. She tried to stand in front of him, to hold him back, to take his keys. Nothing worked. Ren continued to his car, fumbled with the key-fob, and climbed in. Desperate, Kyoko climbed in next to him and continued to plead with him.

"He can't hear you, Kyoko-chan," Jun said from the back seat. "You don't exist."

Ren squeeled out of his parking spot, threw the car into drive, and stomped on the gas. "Please, Jun, we have to stop him!"

"Kyoko, you don't exist here. You have no place in Tsuruga Ren's world. You chose." As Jun talked, Ren squeeled out into the busy street, causing cars to slam on their brakes and veer to the left and right. "You decided that it would be better if you never existed. You decided to remove your presence from those who love and cherish you."

Ren started to nod off and drift. When a oncoming car honked a horn, he jerked up, yanking the steering wheel in the wrong direction so that he ended up diving in the oncoming lanes. "I was wrong! Please Jun! Please don't let him get hurt! Please, I'm begging you!" A large truck swerved to avoid the car and flipped over, striking a building.

"So what do you choose, Kyoko-chan?"

Kyoko looked over at the beautiful, careworn face as Ren's eyes began to close again. With tear filled eyes, she softly said, "I choose him."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't quite hear you?" A sports-car honked as it narrowly avoided Ren's careening car.

"I choose Tsuruga-san."

"That sounds awful impersonal." Jun teased even as Ren drove straight towards a huge oil truck that was passing through the intersection.

"I CHOOSE REN!"

Cold crystalline snow fell onto Kyoko's tear-stained cheeks as a large hand pulled chunks of ice off of her and tossed them aside. Then a beautiful, manly face looked down and chocolate-brown eyes met hers. Ren smiled and the strain of the last few hours fell away as he said, "I'm glad to hear that, Kyoko. I choose you too."

It took several more minutes to clear the rubble away from Kyoko. Even though everyone worked carefully, she almost passed out from the pain in her leg as she was lifted. Ren never let go of her hand once, not even when they loaded her into the helicopter.

* * *

As the rescue workers carried the couple away, and the reporters took photos, and the LME employees celebrated their success, two figures stood on the sidelines and watched it all, unseen.

Rick turned to Jun and said, "Cosplay Café?"

Jun giggled into her hand, careful to not be too loud. Maria was there in the dark, standing beside her grandfather, and Jun didn't want her to hear. "Hey, it worked, didn't it? Besides, Kotonami Kanae is so stiff that it seemed like a fun idea."

Rick chuckled in response, "Well, I have to admit: she did have nice legs. Still…"

"Kyoko is not the type of person who would ever push herself forward at the expense of others, Rick. I had to make her understand that her life impacts people in a positive way… and that her absence would have the opposite effect." They watched the helicopter lift into the air and they smiled at each other. Jun said, "I always loved matchmaking."

"I liked the whole 'wonderful life' theme, even if it is a little cliché."

"Hey," Jun said playfully, "You go with what works. _HE _agreed, so I figured '_why not_? ' Besides," she said smugly, "it worked."

Jun glanced over to where Tina was standing, the young lady's eyes teary with joy for Kuon. Hachiro walked up to the pretty lady and extended a steaming cup of coffee in a thermos lid, and they both smiled. Jun turned back and looked at her fellow spirit, "It seems that you've accomplished your own final task as well. I hope that you'll be able to help me with Lory?"

Rick watched his former girlfriend for a long moment, and then nodded. "As I promised. Will you be there or do you have something else to do?"

Jun glanced over at the older reporter who had shown such courtesy and dignity earlier. "I have one more task, Rick."

* * *

Fuwa Sho had been found two hours earlier. He was the ninth person rescued. His left arm was broken in two places and his right leg sustained a compound fracture. He had remained awake since the beginning, and by the time he was pulled out of the rubble he was frantic with worry about Kyoko. Despite his fierce and repeated protests, he was medevaced to Sapporo almost immediately. In order to calm his fears, Shouko Aki assured him that over thirty people were involved in digging her out. She promised that she would stay near the rescue operations and that she would inform him immediately when Kyoko was recovered.

Shouko Aki kept her promise. As soon as the helicopter was in the air, she phoned the hospital. It was a great relief to the floor nurse. Fuwa Sho had been impossible, refusing to take any pain medicine until he knew that his childhood friend was safe and alive. As soon as he hung up the phone, he cried "Owwww!" He looked up to see the head nurse's smirk as she pushed the plunger of the needle she had just poked into his arm. Before he could protest further he felt fuzzy, then tired, and in less than thirty seconds he was asleep.

* * *

Kyoko was excavated three hours and forty-six minutes after she was buried. Ren had worked non-stop, refusing to take even a momentary break until Kyoko was found. He was medevaced with her, partly because his hands were raw from continuous digging, but mostly because he refused to let her out of his sight. Now that she was safe, he fell asleep on the trip. Kyoko's eyes never left his face. Throughout the short ride she wondered why she had fought so hard to deny his love.

Kyoko's mind drifted back to everything that had happened to her, and she wondered if any of it had been real. Then Ren smiled in his sleep and she was captivated again. _It doesn't matter if it was real or not, _she decided. _As long as I have him._

* * *

Sapporo City General Hospital was a madhouse by the time that the van carrying Lory, Maria, Jelly, Yashiro, Shouko, Kanae, and Chiori drove up to the front entrance. During the rescue Kanae had been too busy to worry or care about Shouko's presence. She had seen the beautiful lady taking turns with everyone else, and she couldn't begrudge her presence now.

Still, it was only a temporary truce. Kanae wasn't the type of person to accept defeat easily. It was an interesting quirk of her nature that she didn't even question the fact that she was in competition for a man who she had been avoiding forty-eight hours earlier. Lory watched the silent interaction between the two women with amusement. He glanced over at Yashiro, who was trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.

Lory smiled conspiratorially at Jelly, expecting her to share in his silent amusement, but she was looking away, distracted and withdrawn. He thought about what Sebastian had told him, and his chest hurt. He knew that this remarkable little lady was in love with him, and he cared deeply for her… but he just couldn't set aside his memories of Jun. Lory understood that he was hurting Jelly by his reticence, but he couldn't seem to break away from his past.

Sebastian had told him about Jelly's plans to move to Hawaii. He knew more than either Sebastian or Jelly realized that he knew. He already knew that she was a partner in a business there. He knew that she had a condo. He knew that a man who lived there had been asking her to marry him for years. It pained him to think of her absence, but was it really right for him to stop her?

"Takarada Lory!" Several reporters yelled at once, trying to be heard and answered, "Can you tell us the nature of Tsuruga Ren's relationship with Kyouko?" "Is Tsuruga Ren Hizuri Kuon?" "Are Tsuruga Ren and Fuwa Sho battling for Kuoko?" "Isn't the actress Kyouko seventeen years old?"

Lory raised his hands majestically and the reporters fell silent. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I hope that everyone is feeling well on this freezing night?"

"Takarada-san, will you please answer our questions?"

"I will answer all of your questions, I promise. But right now two of my own people are in this hospital for treatment, and I would very much like to check on them. There are also about ten other people who have been hurt, and I'm sure that their families would very much like to focus on them. So here is what I'm asking: Let the doctors do their job tonight. Tomorrow morning I and Tsuruga Ren will hold a press conference and we will answer your questions to the best of our abilities… Is that fair?"

While he was talking, two figures wrapped up beyond identification slipped past the crowd and into the hospital. Sebastian touched Lory's arm and Lory smiled at the reporters, "I imagine that everyone is feeling pretty tired right now. There is a nice bar just down the street. Why don't you all go and have a drink or two? The first round will be on me."

Takarada Lory had a reputation for being both intractable and honest. If he said that no interviews would happen on that evening, then his word was law. If he promised to provide answers in the morning, then his word was gold. He would fulfill his promise." Slowly, reluctantly, they filed away. Lory turned and headed inside. After checking to make sure that no reporters were present, he frowned at the two disguised figures, "You sure know how to make my life difficult."

Kuu and Julie threw off their disguises. Kuu grinned, but Julie returned Lory's frown. "If you think that I'm going to hide away in my hotel room while my son and future daughter-in-law are suffering here…"

Lory gestured for Julie to keep her voice down, "Okay, okay… look, as far as I know, Mogami-san hasn't given your son an answer yet. So…"

Julie smirked, "You heard her, Lory: _'I choose Ren!'_ They love each other."

Lory couldn't help but smile. He had heard Kyoko's shouted pronouncement, along with about forty other people. It was destined to become legend and Lory was confident that her words would be used for a headline in the morning news. He was enormously proud of his Number One LoveMe member… but it still would have been nice if she could have been more discreet.

The entire group made their way up the elevators to the room where Kyoko had been assigned for the night. Her leg had been casted almost right away, but the doctors wanted to keep her overnight to watch for any other surprise internal injuries, hypothermia, or shock. When everyone took turns poking their heads into the room, they weren't surprised to find that Tsuruga Ren was there as well. He was sleeping peacefully, his bandaged hand in hers and his head resting on the edge of the hospital bed. Kyoko was looking at him affectionately as she stroked his grey hair.

She looked up and smiled without embarrassment, then turned her attention back to the sleeping man. Julie turned and pushed the others away, allowing the door to close behind her. She looked smugly at Lory and said, "Any more questions?"

* * *

Daishi Sotaru, being older, declined the offer of a free drink and made his way back to his hotel room for a good night's sleep. He phoned his wife, spoke with his teenaged daughter, and typed a quick email to his editor. Then he crawled into bed and promptly fell asleep.

That night his dreams were haunted as a ghostly feminine voice told him a long and fascinating story. He awoke early, even for him. After a quick shower and room-service coffee, he opened his laptop and began to type.

* * *

**Notes: **Whew, that was hard to write… hopefully it will be worth reading. I don't really have much else to say at this point.

Thank you to every person who is reading and reviewing. You are what gives me the energy to continue.


	14. The Delicate Thread of Destiny

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 14 – The Delicate Thread of Destiny**

Ren woke to find that he was horizontal and laying on a narrow cot-bed. His first instinct was to look for Kyoko, but he found it unnecessary. As he looked to his right side he realized that a pair of golden eyes were already looking at him. Kyoko blushed slightly at the realization that she had caught staring at him; but she not as embarassed as Ren might have expected. Somehow he sensed that something had changed. Thankfully it seemed like a change for a better.

"Good morning, Kyoko." This time she did blush, but Ren was determined to be done with surnames and honorifics forever. "How did I end up on a cot?"

Kyoko grinned at the memory. "Otou-san got it for you. Julie-Okaa-san was worried about your back."

Ren grimaced. He had caught glimpses of his mother at the periphery of his vision during the long excavation effort. He knew that she had joined in with a shovel several times throughout the night, but his focus had been obsessive: He knew that Kyoko was down there and he couldn't stop until she was safe. Kyoko must have read his thoughts, because she reached down with one delicate hand to touch his cheek and said, "Thank you, Ren."

It was so startling to Ren that he had to ask. "Kyoko, something's different about you. I'm not complaining… believe me… but what has changed?"

The image of a broken and self-destructive Ren flashed in Kyoko's mind and she smiled sadly. "Perhaps I've finally grown up a little. And perhaps my eyes have finally been opened up so that I can appreciate the important things in my life."

Ren held the slender hand that had touched his cheek. He looked at her beautiful eyes, her cute nose, her plush little lips… those alluring lips… he leaned forward to claim those lips… Kyoko leaned toward him… and they were interrupted by a "Huhhmmm…" coming from the door.

They both jumped back like a couple of adolescents caught behind the school gym. Jelly Woods stood there smiling impishly, "I'm really sorry to interrupt such a touching moment, but Darling needs to talk with Ren-chan right away. There will be a press-conference in one hour and…"

"I'm going as well," Kyoko interrupted.

Ren grimaced, "That's not such a good idea. First of all…"

"First of all, the press conference will be at least partly about me. Are you intending to answer for my emotions?" Kyoko demanded archly

Ren's expression darkened, "I thought… I hoped that you had made your feelings for me clear."

Kyoko's expression remained set, "Don't turn into the Demon Lord on me, Ren." Then her face softened, "I want to leave no doubt in anyone's mind. I've spent my life trying to please others without ever truly understanding myself. Now I need to do something for me."

Ren felt his chest tighten and he began to feel concerned, "Something for you…?" he asked softly, "What does that mean?"

Kyoko smiled softly, affectionately, "I know what I want now, Ren, more than anything else in the world. Please trust me?"

Ren looked into her eyes for a long moment before nodding. His chest began to relax, until Kyoko spoke again, "First things first. I assume that Shotaro was admitted to this hospital. Is he still here?"

* * *

Daishi Sotaru fidgeted in his seat as he waited impatiently for his summons. It felt that way, at least… partly because the executive suite of the hotel had been transformed into a setting something akin to the French court of Louis the XIV, complete with men in luxurious clothing and tights, and women in stunning hoop-skirt dresses.

He felt foolish, and not just because of the setting. When he had woken early, the story in his head had seemed entirely true and absolutely plausible. The words had flown onto the laptop screen as if directed from an all-knowing outside source. As the morning progressed and he waited for a chance to present the information to the exotic and eccentric president of LME, he began to question his own sanity. After all, as spectacular as the story was, how could it be true… and if it was true, how could he possibly have learned it in his dreams. The story might land him a contract as a drama writer, but it might also end his career as a serious reporter.

He never heard anyone approaching, but suddenly the dark-haired man, Takarada Lory's mysterious shadow, was standing in front of him. "The President will see you now."

Sotaru scoffed internally. _"The President?"_ _You would think that he ruled the country or something. _Then he stopped that train of thought. It was true that Takarada Lory was one of the richest men in the country. It was also true that he could seriously affect national policy with one simple phone call. In fact, if rumors were to be believed, he had just recently advised the Queen of another island country over the wedding ceremony for her eldest grandson.

Daishi Sotaru blinked twice, then a third time as he stepped into one of the rooms in the suite to find himself standing before Takarada Lory, who was reclining, regal in ermine and purple, holding a jeweled scepter and seated an elaborate throne-like chair. It took every ounce of self-control Sotaru had not to genuflect to the man who regarded him with complacent curiosity. "Daishi-san, how are you this morning?"

"I'm fine, your-ma… Takarada-san. And you?" He flushed in irritation and embarrassment at his near-slip of the tongue.

"We are well," Lory proclaimed regally, grinning. "Though, frankly, I'm highly curious about this early morning visit when there is a press conference in an hour. I hope that you've been discreet in coming here? I wouldn't want the others to claim that I am showing favoritism."

"I have been discreet, Takarada-san. I… I had an interesting… epiphany, shall we say… about your young stars and a certain other young man of fame and legend. I don't wish to go into detail about my sources, but I did hope to have you read and verify my information. If the facts are true, then I believe that my method of presentation might go far to alleviate any fear of scandal today or later." He reached into his satchel and extracted the stapled sheets, offering them to Lory.

With one raised eyebrow, Lory took the proffered sheets and began to read. There was a physical change in him as he read: He sat up. His careless slouch disappeared. His expression changed throughout the document from surprise, to sadness, to anger, and on and on, ending with an almost beatific smile. Lory flipped the document closed and looked at Sotaru inquisitively, "Daishi-san, I don't supposed that you're willing to divulge your sources for this?"

Sotaru shrugged apologetically, looking sheepish, "Takarada-san… even if I told you that, you probably wouldn't believe me. Let me ask you this: is that an accurate portrayal of the truth?"

Lory looked at the older reporter for a long time, trying to get an accurate read on the man. "I will have to verify several facts here, but this is remarkably accurate… in fact, it solves several little mysteries that have always plagued me. May I ask what you intend to do with this?"

"Honestly? I don't know. If you are willing to verify the information, and if the three young people agree, then I would like very much to publish. As a matter of fact, I'm reasonably sure that this story will go AP News*."

Lory chuckled, "I think that you can count on that… and as you said before, this presentation of the facts would go far to alleviate the threat of a negative public response. If you can wait, I will get on this right away."

The first thing that Lory did was to notify Yashiro that the press conference would be delayed by thirty minutes. Yashiro had been assigned the task of calming the excited horde. He was talented at this, though he hated the work. The next was to make a phone call to the president of Akitoki Entertainment. This yielded the surprise information that his business rival was already on the way to Sapporo. The last thing was to head toward Kyoko's hospital room. It was empty, and he began to feel concerned until the floor nurse stepped up. He was amazed when she told him where Kyoko and Ren had gone.

* * *

Shouko Aki's eyes grew wide when she saw Tsuruga Ren wheeling Mogami Kyoko down the corridor toward Fuwa Sho's door. Her instincts prompted her to try and halt their progress, but the determined look in Kyoko's eyes told her that it would be a losing battle. She smiled as well as she could manage and said, "Good morning, Mogami-san, Tsuruga-san… were you here to see Sho?"

Kyoko nodded, "I am. How is he?"

Shouko sighed, "Spitting mad at the moment. He was being difficult last night and the nurse gave him a sedative shot… he intended to stay awake until he was able to see you."

Ren frowned, but Kyoko only shook her head sadly, "I'll speak with him now." She reached back and touched Ren's hand. Her manner was such that Shouko knew her charge had lost the battle. She had been there at the moment when Kyoko had been unearthed. Like everyone else, she had heard Kyoko's loud outcry… in truth it was a moment she would remember for the rest of her life. She hadn't shared the information with Sho. Perhaps that was cowardice. Perhaps it was in consideration of his feelings. Whatever the reason, Shouko knew that this early-morning visit didn't bode well.

Shouko met Ren's eyes and the tall man stepped away from the wheelchair. Shouko nodded and took over, wheeling Kyoko the remaining distance to the room. Before they entered, Sho had been angrily scrolling through the channels on the wall-mounted television set. When he heard the door open, he was prepared to unleash more of his angry diatribe. As soon as he saw Kyoko at the door, he quickly turned off the television and tried to sit up. It was a mistake, because he tried to move his left arm as well, sending shooting pains through his body.

Unfortunately, that irritated him and he snapped, "It's nice of you to finally come and check on me!"

Shouko was shocked, and began to say, "Sho! You ought to be ashamed…" but Kyoko stopped her by touching her hand.

"That's okay, Shouko-san. He's just in pain. He was always irritable when he was in pain." Kyoko met Shouko's eyes. Shouko nodded and stepped out, leaving the two invalids alone.

Sho's scowl faded away and he felt a wash of calm settle over him. Here was his childhood friend, the one who always understood him best; the one who overlooked his little moments of temper. She had returned to him. That was only right, since she belonged to him. He looked at her mature face without the blonde wig and the makeup. He realized that she looked even more beautiful when she looked natural. His heart caught in his throat and he couldn't help but wonder why he had ever believed her to be plain. For the first time he noticed the cast that covered her left leg and the brace on her right. He felt ashamed for his own words and said, "How are you?"

Kyoko looked down at her leg with a grimace, "Well, I suppose that they're either going to have to delay my film sequences on _Fledgling Justice_, or they'll have to write in an injury."

Sho grunted dismissively, "Just tell them to go take a hike. You should come stay at my place. Shouko-san can take care of us, or I can hire someone else."

Kyoko looked at the bleach-blond singer in astonishment, but she quickly schooled her expression. She shook her head sadly. "Shoutaro, I'm sorry, but that will never happen."

"Look, Kyoko, hasn't this gone on long enough? I made a mistake. I shouldn't have said those things. But you overreacted too. Face it, your mother left you with my family and my family trained you to serve me. Maybe I got a little full of myself for a while, but that shouldn't matter. I forgive you for leaving. I even forgive you for hanging around with that talent-less actor. Enough is enough! You belong with me!" As he spoke, his enforced calm began to fail him and his voice had grown louder.

Kyoko listened to Sho's dialogue and, for the first time, she saw him for what he really was: a shallow, spoiled, lonely child. It was only after he paused for a breath that she realized that her grudges were gone. In fact, she didn't even feel angry… she felt sad. "Sho, that's enough," her voice communicated exhaustion rather than rage or acquiescence. "You're right: I was trained by your parents to serve you, and even to marry you. At one time you had my heart and my willing servitude. I was ready to do anything for you… and in return you did nothing."

Sho started to object, but the expression of her face and the look in her eyes stopped him. She continued, "You stood by while other students bullied me because I was close to you. You bad-mouthed me to your friends and acted like I was a nuisance. When we were alone you asked for my approval. You played your songs for me first. You told me your dreams and your fears. You asked me to run away to Tokyo with you… and I did. Sho, what did you give me in return?"

Sho scowled, "That's why I'm telling you to come back now. I'm the number one musician in Japan, Kyoko. Just tell me what you want. I'll build you a stupid fairy-tale castle if that's what you want!"

Kyoko sighed, "Someday, Sho-kun, I sincerely pray that you'll find out what true love is. It's not one person taking care of another. Its two people who are both willing to give anything to be together. They support each other. They encourage each other. They don't care about each other's faults…" a secret smile crept onto her face as she thought of Ren's jealousy when she told him that she wanted to speak with Sho, "… in fact, sometimes they even _like_ the other person's faults…"

Sho realized who Kyoko was talking about now, and he exploded, "You can't be serious! He's an imposter! A hooligan! A jail-bird!"

Kyoko shook her head, "Ren got in trouble when he was younger, Sho, but he had worked very hard to make a new life for himself."

"REN! Now you're calling him by his given name? Fine! You said he's made mistakes, well so have I! How is he any different than me? Why choose him and not me?"

Kyoko smiled in such a dreamy way that it made Sho's heart ache, "Because he loves me."

"Love you!" Sho surged up, despite the pain in his arm and leg, "I… I… well... I love you too." Sho finally said it and gave her a smug look, as if his declaration should put an end to the matter.

"And also because I love him. I'm sorry, Shotaro, but it's time for both of us to move on."

Sho's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, but he couldn't find the words. He felt like the world was closing in on him and he didn't know what to think or say. In his entire life he had always gotten what he wanted; usually when he wanted it and with very little fuss. Now he realized that the thing he wanted the most… the person that he wanted the most… was no longer his. "But… but… you belong to me."

"No, Sho, I don't. I have to go now. I have a press conference in less than thirty minutes. Goodbye Sho," She tried to turn her wheelchair on her own, but her casted leg got caught. Shouko Aki must have been listening, because she quickly stepped in to assist her. As she was being pushed out of the room she held up a hand and Shouko paused. Kyoko turned her head as well as she could before saying, "Phone your parents, Sho. They deserve a call every once in a while."

Sho slumped as he watched the door close on the woman who he loved… and who had once loved him. Later he would think of a thousand other things to say, but at the moment his mind was blank.

Kyoko was wheeled out only to come face-to-face with Takarada Lory, still in his Louis the 13th costume, and another man who looked dignified in an Armani suit. Lory smiled proudly, "You handled that well, Mogami-san. I'm very proud of you."

Kyoko had longed to hear such words for most of her life, and her heart swelled. But the scene in Sho's room had been very hard on her, and this extra emotion was too much. She felt the tears on her face, tried to wipe them away, and then dissolved into sobs. Ren pushed past the two men unceremoniously. With enormous strength he lifted Kyoko out of her chair while supporting her injured legs. In a moment they were sitting together on a bench, with her on his lap and crying into his shoulder.

The man in the business suit watched the couple sadly. He turned to Lory and offered his hand. Then he turned and raised an eyebrow as Shouko Aki, who nodded and led the man into Sho's room. Lory watched the president of Akitoki disappear and smiled. Both men had agreed that the story was the perfect answer to resolve the scandal before it got out-of-hand. Ren and Shouko had been able to quickly read through and verify the facts, although nobody could explain how the reporter, Daishi Sotaru, could have come by the information.

As soon as Kyoko had regained her composure, and as soon as Jelly Woods had worked her magic, the couple made their way to the press conference.

* * *

The reporters were talking animatedly and with a certain degree of annoyance at the extra thirty-minute delay. They were willing to overlook it, however, once Yashiro Yukihito informed them that the delay was so that Kyouko could also be present. Fuwa Sho would not attend, but Sotamura Yakumo, the President of Akitoki Entertainment, would be on hand to speak on his behalf.

Under the firm managerial gazes of Yashiro Yukihito and Shouko Aki, along with the mysterious but somehow dangerous gaze of Sebastian, the reporters behaved themselves while the two company presidents filed in, followed by Tsuruga Ren, who wheeled in Mogami Kyoko. Once everyone had taken their seats, Lory leaned forward and began speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your courtesy in allowing me to spend time with my LME children, and thank you for being patient this morning while my most promising young actress, Kyouko, made her way out of bed so that she could be with us." Several reporters started shooting up their hands so that they could be the first to ask questions. Lory shook his head and held up a hand. "Before we take your questions, I would like to have my assistants pass out a document which was handed to me only an hour ago." Several people in French period costume appeared out of nowhere and began passing out copies of the story.

"This is a news story written by one of your own, Daishi Sotaru. Let me assure you on my honor that neither I nor anyone working directly for me was the source for this information. I did not grant any interviews prior to this press conference. Having said that, the story that you are being handed is almost frighteningly accurate." He paused for long enough for most of the reporters to finish reading and then to look up again. "I and my fellow talent agency president, Sotamura Yakumo, have verified all of the facts in this document with the three principal protagonists in the story. Daishi-san intends to sell his story on the AP, but he has courteously offered not to publish any additional stories from his source for another twenty-four hours… we will now take questions."

The reporters erupted from their seats, trying to gain attention and gather more information. Lory stood by as Ren and Kyoko fielded question after question. As he watched, he wondered what had happened to his number one LoveMe member. Something had changed; something much more than just being buried in an avalanche. Kyoko was courteous but firm, responsive but unflappable… in short, she seemed like an actress who had spent decades in press conferences just like this one. Most significantly, she was open about her feelings for Ren… and only slightly embarrassed.

Eventually, Lory decided that they had done enough and called for an end. The reporters, naturally wanted more, but they also felt the urgent need to get their stories written and published. Before Ren had finished wheeling Kyoko out of the door, the reporters were on their phones or heads-down in their laptops. Lory and Ren had promised a second interview, later in the afternoon, with Ren/Kuon and his parents. It was Christmas Eve, but the reporters were getting their presents early.

* * *

If Lory was proud of Kyoko, Ren and his parents were even prouder. The older couple had been waiting impatiently in a meeting room. When Ren wheeled Kyoko in, Julie surprised everyone by hugging Kyoko first, even though she hadn't held her son for seven years. She had read the story, a story about her son she had never known, and it made her feel that this young woman was destined to be a part of their family.

Kuu embraced his son heartily, and was then quickly pushed aside as soon as Julie broke away from Kyoko. She had intended to make him feel guilty for all of the mental anguish he had given her with seven years of absence, but all of that was quickly forgotten. Kuon had made good use of those seven years. He had found his calling. He had restored his dignity. And he had found love and healing in the form of this slender girl with her spectacular golden eyes.

As everything settled down and the hotel catering service delivered a seemingly enormous feast, Kyoko was finally able to pick up the article which had caused such a stir.

_**A Delicate Thread of Destiny? The complicated connection between Hizuri Kuon, Mogami Kyoko, and Fuwa Sho**_  
by Daishi Sotaru  
AP News

Two years ago, in late February, Chance or Destiny played a part in the lives of three young people. It happened like this.

Twelve years ago, ten year-old Hizuri Kuon accompanied his famous father to Kyoto, where Hizuri Kuu was filming _The Death of a Shogun._ Ten year-old Kuon, feeling stifled by the crowds surrounding his father, escaped the bustle and followed a forest path into a long forgotten clearing. There, as if by magic, he met a little girl who dreamed of fairy kingdoms and castles in the sky. Although they only knew each other for ten days, they formed a bond that has stretched across time and continents; but that is only a part of the story, because that little girl, Mogami Kyoko, was the childhood friend of another person whose name has become eminently recognizable, Fuwa Sho.

Hizuri Kuon went back to his home in Hollywood. He had his father's natural athleticism and made a name for himself in several extreme sports. He dreamed of following in his father's footsteps, but he was also cursed by his father's shadow. Despite repeated attempts to make his own name in entertainment, he was blocked by false expectations or the cruel accusation that he was using his parent's name as a springboard for success. After repeated rejection, Kuon began to be angry. Over time he ran into more and more trouble. When his best friend and mentor died in a freak car accident, Kuon lost his way and didn't know what to do next.

That was when Takarada Lory, the eccentric president of LME, flew over at the request of his good friend, Hizuri Kuu. After hearing the story, he made Kuon an offer that changed the young man's destiny and blessed Japan's entertainment industry: "Leave everything behind, including your name, and start over in Japan without the benefit or curse of your family's name." As almost any Japanese person can tell you, Hizuri Kuon made the right choice. Fifteen year-old Kuon disappeared from the United States and reappeared in Japan as Tsuruga Ren. After several unpromising attempts, Tsuruga Ren finally made his splash in both acting and modeling. Within three years he became Japan's Number One Young Actor. In two more years the word "Young" was dropped from his title, and other titles were added, such as "Most Desirable" and "The One-Take King."

Tsuruga Ren should have been happy, but something was still missing; something even he didn't understand. Although Kuon didn't return to Japan in search of the little girl from the clearing, it seemed that no other girl could quite fill the vacancy in his heart. Tsuruga Ren stood out as a celebrity with no scandals, mostly because he never found the woman who could break down his barriers and touch his heart. Destiny, or chance if you will, decided to take a hand.

In Kyoto two other fifteen year olds were preparing to make a journey of their own. Fuwa Sho had big dreams of becoming a music superstar. His parents weren't happy with the idea, but his childhood friend Mogami Kyoko believed in him and was ready to help him in any way she could. Mogami Kyoko, who is now known to the world as Kyouko, had dreams of her own (here is where the story diverged slightly from the truth. It was a change _suggested_ by Takarada Lory in order to avoid scandalous questions). She was fascinated with acting and wanted to investigate the possibilities of a career. After graduating from middle school, the two young people set off to make their fortune in Tokyo.

Fuwa Sho had his first big break within months of arriving in Tokyo. He impressed a talent scout from Akitoki Entertainment, signed his first contract, and was on his way. Mogami Kyoko put her dreams on hold for a while and worked three jobs to keep them both afloat. The two friends had a falling out, however, and parted ways. It was probably due to this conflict that Kyoko chose to approach LME instead of Akitoki… or perhaps it was the delicate thread of destiny. Whatever the reason, Kyoko auditioned with LME during their annual New Talent Auditions, and was signed.

It was shortly after this that Tsuruga Ren met Mogami Kyoko for the second time in his life. He recognized her with relative ease, but he had perfected his own disguise too well. Mogami Kyoko did not recognize Tsuruga Ren as Hizuri Kuon, but she must have felt the connection regardless. Over the course of the past two years the two young people have grown increasingly closer, and not just due to mutual attraction.

Perhaps the quality that has drawn the Tsuruga Ren, a.k.a. Hizuri Kuon, and Mogami Kyoko together the most is that they both epitomize the ideal of the consummate professional. Like the man who she often refers to as "Sempai," Mogami Kyoko has set a standard of timeliness, quality of workmanship, and depth of character development. Kyouko's first work was a Curara Soft Drink commercial, only two years ago, but she has already presented Japan with four other iconic characters, beginning with the killer angel on Fuwa Sho's PV, "Prisoner." She is also Bo, in _Kimagure Rock_, Mio in _Dark Moon_, and Natsu in _Box 'R_. Her most current work, as Kimura Nariko in _Fledgling Justice_, is already generating rave reviews. Directors, Producers, and co-stars describe the young lady as "a genius at character development" and "a professional who is always reliable and a joy to work with."

On Wednesday, December 22nd, Hizuri Kuon emerged after seven years of absence. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he exploded back onto the scene. It happened like this: before Hizurui Kuon disappeared, he had made a name for himself as a winter extreme athlete with his trademark ski jump, the reverse triple-twisting helicopter. It beggars this reporter's skill to describe it, but the jump is available in several videos from the time. He performed this jump again just the other afternoon, almost as perfectly as when he performed it originally. Ironically, he performed the stunt while competing against Fuwa Sho while Mogami Kyoko was standing on the sidelines.

There will be many reporters and rag-sheets tempted to turn the story of these three talented people into some sort of scandalous story, it is the nature of this business. I for one, find the original and true story to be much more notable and newsworthy than any lies that can be cooked up to sell a few extra subscriptions. The only question that still remains in my mind is this: Do I believe the events of this story are due to chance or destiny? I can't answer the question yet myself, but I know which way I am leaning at the moment.

* * *

Kyoko finished reading the article and grimaced. Right there on paper, for the whole world... and Ren to see, was the secret of who Bo really was. She saw Ren out of the corner of her eye and cringed. If she were capable of falling to the floor in a dogeeza, she would have. Without that ability, and trapped in her wheelchair as she was, she could only hide her eyes.

Ren leaned close to her and quietly said, "Is there a problem, Kyoko?"

Kyoko could feel Ren's "gentleman-assassin" aura circling around her. "Ummm… sempai…"

"Sempai?" Ren repeated her word. Although Kyoko couldn't make herself look, she could feel that overwhelmingly bright, gentlemanly smile.

"I'mmmm soorrrrrryyy!" Kyoko wailed, "I didn't do it on purpose. You saw me and called me over, and then you started talking to me! And then, the other time, you looked so lonely, and I wanted to help, and you told me about that high school girl, and… I really wasn't trying to trick youuuu!"

"Kuon!" Julie said sharply, "Why are you terrorizing my poor daughter? What's wrong with the story? I thought that it was beautiful!"

Ren was actually feeling terrible about frightening Kyoko. She had always possessed the ability to see through his gentlemanly persona in a way very few people could. He leaned over and hugged the distraught girl. "I'm not angry, Kyoko… just surprised. I've spent a year trying to figure out how to tell you how I felt, and you already knew."

Kyoko was confused. In fact, she was confused enough that it broke through her fear. She blushed at Ren's proximity. "I don't understand. Are you talking about that other girl…" suddenly she felt a terrible pain in her heart, worse than anything she had ever felt from Sho's rejection. She choked, but she made herself speak, "Ummm… if you're still in love with her…"

Ren was still kneeling and hugging her when she spoke. Now he rocked back on his knees in confusion and bewilderment, "What girl?"

"The high school girl… the one you told Bo about… the one who was four years younger than you…"

Ren's looked shocked, and then his face dissolved into laughter. He sat back on his behind and started laughing so hard that tears ran down his eyes. Kyoko looked puzzled, and then frustrated, and then angry. When she pulled away from him, he quickly quelled his laughter and threw his arms around her affectionately. "Kyoko, I love you, but you may be the most oblivious person in human history."

The hug might have mollified Kyoko, but his words only served to stoke the fire, "Let go of me! It's not funny! If you love someone else, please just tell me!"

Ren gently took both of her clenched fists into his bandaged hands, "Kyoko, were you in high school when I told you that?" Kyoko reluctantly nodded. "And what is the age-difference between you and I?"

Kyoko pouted, "Four years."

Ren sat there and looked into Kyoko's eyes expectantly. When she still didn't respond, he sighed, "Kyoko, when I told Bo about the high school girl, I was talking about you."

This time Kyoko did respond. She looked shocked, and then a smile spread across her entire face, a smile that threatened to outshine the stars. "Really?" She said in a soft voice.

"Really."

Ren and Kyoko were lost in their own little world, so they never saw the tears of affection and joy on the faces of the older couple as they watched this touching scene.

* * *

**Notes: **This has been an incredibly hard chapter for me to write, for some reason. Hopefully it still makes sense.

Yes, I realized that the article is more poetry than prose. I'm sorry, but I did the best that I could.

*AP News is the Associated Press. When a reporter writes a particularly good article about a subject of national or international interest, it is posted on AP News. If editors from other newspapers wish to use this article, they simply pay a fee and then add it to their own publication.


	15. When video games attack

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 15 – When video games attack**

Kyoko was released shortly after noon. It was Christmas Eve, so it had been a full two hours after the end of the press conference before the doctor finally arrived to perform a check-up, write several prescriptions, and sign the release form.

Not that the time was poorly spent. This was the first time that Kyoko had ever been able to interact with all three Hizuris at the same time, and it was a heady experience. Kuu and Julie were polar opposites to what her own mother had been. They were openly affectionate, and humorous, and most-importantly, completely overjoyed to welcome Kyoko into their little family.

The problem was that even though Kyoko had accepted Ren's love, her decision had been for his sake, not her own. She was willing to give everything, including her own life to prevent the scene that Jun had shown her. What she wasn't prepared for was the idea that Ren came with a ready-made family… and not just any family. If Kuu was like a king in her eyes, Julie was like a goddess. Even in middle-age she was stunningly beautiful. She was stylish and classy. She was famous and enormously talented. She was… too perfect for someone like Kyoko. Kyoko had expected rejection at any moment, especially when her own perfect son was being so openly affectionate toward her. No woman of Julie's caliber would choose such an imperfect girl for a daughter-in-law, and yet that was how Ren's parents were treating her. At one point Kyoko was so overwhelmed with happiness that she started to cry.

Ren immediately stepped in to comfort her, but this time his mother beat him to the punch. "Please let me, Kuon." She told him gently. Then she embraced the girl who was suddenly sobbing, unable to stop the emotions that were flooding out. Julie just held her head against her own chest and made soothing noises until Kyoko had a little more control. Then she asked, "What is it, dear? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Kyoko choked out. "It's all too right… too perfect. _This_ is what I've always wanted… what I've always dreamed of: a wonderful family… a beautiful mother and a handsome father who overlooks all of my faults and still love me the way that you love Ren. It's so beautiful that it hurts!"

Julie let her cry some more, making soothing noise as she stroked Kyoko's hair, "Kyoko, it isn't just Kuon that we love. We love you too. I can't tell you how overjoyed we are to know that our son finally won your heart. You're part of our family now, dear."

Kyoko looked up and shook her head sadly, "Re… Kuon just said he loved me… we haven't even been on a date. It's not like we're ma… married. I'm not good enou…"

Kyoko's words cut short when she looked past Julie and saw The Demon Lord looking at her. She gulped as Ren walked close and knelt, "Does this mean that you never had any intention of marrying me? Were you just playing with my heart, Kyoko?"

Kyoko's eyes grew alarmed, "NO! Of course not! How could someone like me ever do something like that to someone as perfect as you?"

This time it was Kuu who interrupted, "Someone like you? Kyoko-chan, if you're going to be a part of this family, and if you're going to continue to be a professional actress, then it is time to stop looking down on yourself. Humility is a fine thing, but it can be taken to an extreme. Perhaps Kuon knows more than we do about your past, but the young lady we know is beautiful, kind, determined, and incredibly talented. Beyond that she has friends and co-workers who care deeply about her, several older people who value her more than she values herself, and a young man who is head-over-heels in love with her. That is the only 'someone like you' that we know."

Kyoko met Kuu's eyes, and then Julie's, and finally Ren's. He frowned at her, "Kyoko, you've made me work hard for two years just to capture your heart. Don't think for a moment that I ever plan on letting you go… having said that, please leave me the opportunity to propose to you properly. A man has to have some dignity, you know."

Kuu chuckled, as did Julie. Kyoko looked at Ren's blushing face and dissolved into giggles. Julie hugged her again. "That's better. My daughter shouldn't feel like crying all the time."

_My daughter…_ Kyoko replayed those words in her heart over and over again, like the most beautiful music.

* * *

Shouko Aki walked slowly down the corridor heading toward Fuwa Sho's hospital room door. She had gone to the press conference to listen in and protect Sho's interest. Afterwards she had retrieved one of the discarded articles that had been passed out. Her eyes had gone wide with wonder as she read the story. It explained so many things that she had always wondered about. She did notice that Kyoko's relationship with Fuwa Sho, and their subsequent breakup, had been simplified, but that was all for the better. Still, the knowledge that Tsuruga Ren's history with Kyoko was almost as long as Sho's wouldn't make him happy.

She felt sorry for Sho. Granted, he was a jerk, especially towards women; but it had to hurt to know that he had not only lost his "ownership" of Kyoko, but he had also lost her completely to his arch-rival. The doors were closed forever on that chapter in his life. She was very impressed with the mature manner in which Kyoko had handled the matter. She had grown so much since that ugly incident two years ago. Sometimes she wished that she could work as her manager instead.

Shouko let her mind play with that idea for a few minutes as she stopped down the hallway from Sho's door. This afternoon would probably be miserable. Not only had the remainder of the concert needed to be cancelled, but this news would portray Sho as the loser in a lifelong love-triangle. He would be furious, and most certainly impossible to deal with. She sighed, _Well, I can't put this off forever._ Squaring her shoulders, she continued on to Sho's hospital room door.

She stopped just outside of the door as she heard a female voice. She couldn't explain why she had stopped. The voice would almost certainly have come from one of the many nurses… but something about the cajoling, conspiratorial tone made her question that hypothesis. She stepped forward just enough where she could overhear.

"It's the best way. Look, stardom is only going to eat Kyoko up anyway. You'll be doing her a favor." The woman's voice was sweet, caring, and completely manipulative. Shouko knew that Sho hated manipulative women, so she expected him to kick the woman out immediately.

"I don't care if it ruins her acting career, but what good will it do either her or I if it ruins my music career?" Shouko was startled at his reply and she could almost hear the sneer on his voice, "Let's face it, actors and actresses are a yen-a-dozen, but I'm on my way to international stardom."

"Of course you are," the woman said in her syrupy-sweet voice, "And something like this will only add to your name. Think about it: When you found out what Tokyo was doing to your poor, innocent country girl, you tried to send her home. She refused and left you, and you've been watching her go downhill ever since. That way you are the hero and she is just the poor, deceived innocent who is just another victim of…"

Shouko didn't need to hear anymore. She pushed herself off of the wall and barged into the room, "Sho, who is this woman?"

Chieko looked shocked for a moment, but then her scheming expression returned. She recognized Shouko Aki as the woman who had spent part of the previous day with Tsuruga Ren's manager. She knew that Sho and Ren hated each other, so she could probably use Shouko's extracurricular activities against her.

Sho retorted, "She's my… consultant. What are you doing barging in here anyway? Shouldn't you be downstairs kissing up to those LME punks and our _president_?"

Shouko Aki took a good look at Ashida Chieko. This woman was the ideal type that Sho was always interested in until his more recent obsession with Kyoko. In fact, even his obsession with Kyoko hadn't prevented him from pursuing this type. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I want to know why you're sitting here trying to persuade Fuwa Sho to commit career suicide? Besides which, Sho, how could you even consider doing anything that would attack Kyoko's reputation. Are you a man, or what?"

Sho's face was suffused with rage, "Kyoko belongs to _me_! She had no business leaving me behind and pursuing that no-talent pretty-boy jail-bird! I'll do whatever I want, and I'll be doing her a favor!"

Shouko looked at the young man in-shock, "Sho, the days of slavery are long past. Kyoko doesn't belong to anybody, and you destroyed any chance of ever having her again. Let's face it, she has moved on. She came into this room to make peace."

"She's MINE!" Sho surged up and then groaned as he irritated his injuries. "And if you won't help me, then YOU'RE FIRED!" Sho leaned back with sweat on his forehead and a triumphant grin on his face. There was no way that Shouko would allow herself to be fired. She made too much money as the manager of the most important celebrity in Japan.

Shouko Aki looked at Sho in silence for a long moment, and then she shook her head. "Fine. I would like to say that it has been a pleasure working for you, but we both know that isn't true." She turned and headed for the door, leaving a shocked silence behind her. She opened the door and stepped out, but before she allowed the door to close, she turned and said, "Sho, I know the truth. I also know about a thousand small and large indiscretions that I've had to cover up for you. If you try to do anything to destroy Mogami Kyoko's reputation, then I'll talk. We'll see who goes down then."

Sho threw his food tray at her and it hit the wall beside her. "Fine! Go! Go work for Kyoko, for all I care!"

Shouko Aki let the door close behind her and started walking down the hallway. _You know, that's not a bad idea._

* * *

Kyoko blinked in surprise as Ren wheeled her into the resort-hotel lobby. It was a beehive of activity and the entire visible area was undergoing a complete transformation. There were Christmas lights hanging from every fixture. The walls, counters, and tables had been transformed to look like they were made of crystalline ice. Even the stairwells looked like they were made of ice. It was like entering an enchanted palace made entirely of ice. If the appearance of the lobby was spectacular, it was the other little details that made Kyoko's eyes sparkle. In every corner and all around the ceiling, little animated faeries were circling. Takarada Lory had made use of all of the considerable expertise of LME's finest special effects people to make the entire place come alive. It was all worth it as everyone saw the stars in Kyoko's golden eyes.

A young girl's voice sang out, "Onee-sama!" and Maria ran forward. She almost launched herself into Kyoko's arms, but stopped just short, grinned, and stepped forward gracefully to gently hug her instead. "I was so scared, Onee-sama," Maria whispered. "I'm so glad that you're safe." She hugged Kyoko so tightly that it hurt.

Kyoko remembered how the loss of her mother had hurt Maria, and she felt guilty for making her relive that experience. She hugged the little girl who meant so much to her, "I'm sorry for worrying you, Maria-chan. Happy Birthday, by the way. Everything looks wonderful."

Maria smiled brightly, "I figure that we could just have our Grateful Party here, since almost everyone is here anyway. Kanae-onee-sama and Chiori-onee-sama have been helping. Then the Ishibashis and everyone else started helping too."

Kyoko scanned the large room with the vaulted ceiling in wonder, "Well, it's beautiful. It's like an ice-fairy castle." She pouted, "I wish that I could help."

"Oh don't worry, Mogami-san, I have the perfect task for you!" Lory's booming voice came from behind them. Everyone turned to regard the president. He was still dressed as a French king, and he looked positively regal in the refurbished lobby. "As a matter of fact, there's a whole staff waiting for your direction." He posed dramatically and pointed to the left, "To the kitchen, Ren-san!"

And that was how Kyoko found herself spending the next three hours designing and consulting on the design of her special Christmas desserts. The Hizuri's had to fulfill their promise concerning the second interview, so they excused themselves and Kanae took over as Kyoko's wheelchair driver. She only lasted for thirty minutes, however, before passing the duty off to Chiori; that was as long as it took her to weaken and begin sampling Kyoko's masterpieces.

This was Chiori's first encounter with Kyoko's culinary skills and she was once-again amazed. Unbeknownst to Kyoko, Chiori viewed her LoveMe sempai as an "eternal butterfly," able to change and adapt and overcome in any situation… a true changeling. This newly discovered skill only added to the aura that surrounded Kyoko in Chiori's mind. She had been shocked when she first heard about Tsuruga Ren's true identity, but it she considered it only fitting that Kyoko should have a place in that nearly-royal family. Though she would never admit the truth to anyone, especially Kyoko, the golden-eyed girl was Chiori's ideal; the one who she most wanted to become like.

Amamiya Chiori's feelings on the matter were not just idle hero-worship. Chiori had spent many years watching young actresses without a speck of talent rise to the top because they were cute, or pretty, or even beautiful. Bad acting set Chiori's teeth on edge and she had long learned to despise the world of acting… though she couldn't seem to stay away from it herself. She had filled reams of notebook paper with poison sentences about the terrible actors, directors, and producers whose best contribution to the world… in her opinion… would be to die and stop consuming valuable air. And then Mogami Kyoko had come along.

Chiori had hated the girl at first. She knew that the newbie actress had less experience than the other girls who had been chosen to act as her lieutenants. As far as Chiori had known, the girl's only success had been as Mio on _Dark Moon._ To get immediately chosen as the pivotal antagonist for a new series suggested that she had powerful sponsors… something that Chiori hated worse than talento actresses. Mogami Kyoko had only validated Chiori's disdain by showing up late and uprepared on the first day. It only got worse as Kyoko tried and failed to please the director who only wanted more of Mio. Then, just as Chiori thought that the newbie was finished, she came back with an entirely new Natsu… a Natsu so powerful that she had practically become the star of the show.

Since then Chiori had come to realize that Kyoko might struggle with a character at first, but she would always overcome her insecurities to create something new and special. That was true talent, and it set the bar for Chiori. She had even willingly submitted to the shame of the pink jumpsuit in order to stay close to Kyoko and learn as much as she could. Unfortunately, what she learned was that Kyoko possessed a frightening talent which Chiori couldn't match. Thankfully Kyoko also coupled that with a joy in her work and a professionalism that Chiori could imitate. Over the last year Chiori had also learned to value the slightly older girl as a friend.

She watched now as Kyoko effortlessly shaved a block of chocolate to create a paper-thin swirling ribbon to top one of her latest creations. "Kyoko-san, where did you learn to do something like this?" She made a sweeping gesture to take in the five different desserts that sat on display. Already the hotel chefs and the additional culinary workers were working to re-create each dessert in bulk.

Chiori noticed the chill that often followed any questions about Kyoko's past, but then the golden-eyed girl seemed to relax. "I was trained to work in a traditional hotel as an okami-san, Chiori-san. I also spent a lot of time learning how to cook with the Taisho of the hotel."

"They weren't your parents?" Again there was the chill, but this time Kyoko shook her said a trifle sadly.

"I lived with them… I didn't see my mother much. Here, try this," Kyoko handed Chiori a shaved chocolate rose, effectively ending the questions for a moment. Chiori got the message and didn't ask any more probing questions.

* * *

Julie was asking the same questions, however. Left to their own resources after a highly-intrusive press conference, Julie was finally able to have the long talk that she craved with her son. Between Ren and Lory she was able to extract a great deal of information about Kyoko's sad past. It explained much about the girl's self-doubt. "Some women should never be allowed to be mothers," she muttered darkly.

Although she was delighted to think that her Kuon and Kyoko had such a history, it did expose a glaring problem. "Kuon, I don't want you to feel like I'm pushing, but am I to understand that you want to marry Kyoko someday?"

Ren didn't feel the slightest embarrassment in answering his mother, "Yes. Absolutely."

Julie smiled. "Good. I always knew that you were a smart boy. Unfortunately, I foresee a problem: Kyoko is Japanese, not American."

"How is that a problem?"

Julie sighed, "I suppose that you've been waiting for her 18th birthday to declare yourself?"

This time Ren flushed a little, "That was my original plan… not that I'm complaining now that the deed is done." Ren still felt astounded at Kyoko's response to him. He would remember her words as he dug her out of the snow forever.

"The problem is that Kyoko can't marry until she's twenty without parental permission."

Ren's eyes widened and he sat up quickly, "Twenty!" Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered hearing this, but since he had never thought of marriage before meeting Kyoko again, he hadn't really processed the information.

Julie chuckled sympathetically, "I know the men in my family. I doubt that you'll want to wait for two more years?"

Now Ren really blushed. This was not the type of conversation that he ever planned on having with his mother. Still, the thought of waiting was almost as horrific as the thought of violating Kyoko's innocence. He was not willing to do either. "What can we do? That woman hasn't even been in-contact with Kyoko for years."

"Well, I think that the first thing to be done is for Kuu and I to take a trip to Kyoto. As for you, son, you just focus on making my daughter happy."

"My daughter?" Ren asked in amusement.

Julie stood and straightened her skirt gracefully, "That's right. I always wanted a daughter. And she's so kind and dutiful too… so unlike my son. Perhaps I should just adopt her?"

Ren growled playfully, "Don't you dare. You'll just have to settle for a daughter-in-law."

"Well then, you'd better craft a brilliant proposal."

Ren's eyes gleamed with the challenge.

* * *

While the employees were skiing the slopes or helping with the preparation for the Christmas (Grateful) Party, Takarada Lory escaped to his suite. He had shed his royal garb in order to change costumes, but for the moment he was sitting in a robe and relaxing. As usual, his relaxation included turning on his newest favorite romantic simulation game… and as usual the main character was being uncooperative. Lory was in the middle of agonizing over which life-changing decision to make among the list of options: Should Euiko 1) Hand Koichi the present and confess her undying love, 2) hand Koichi the present and quickly walk away, 3) Ask her best friend to give him the present, or 4) Wait until she can catch Koichi alone?

Naturally, Lory chose option 1… and then he swore at the screen when Koichi refused to take the present, turned, and walked away. Lory threw the controller down and threw up his hands, "I'm going to have to buy out this company! They don't know a thing about love! That Koichi is the most hopeless man I've ever seen!"

Lory was still scowling at the screen, or he wouldn't have seen Koichi suddenly stop, look over his shoulder, and stalk back toward the viewer. Lory sat back, a smile of anticipation on his face. _Maybe these game-writers added a touch of suspense! Now he's going to accept Euiko's love!_

It didn't happen that way. The on-screen Romeo didn't even pause as he walked past the weeping Euiko. Lory frowned as the animated man came closer, until his face loomed large on the giant screen. "Who are you calling hopeless?" The character asked with a sneer.

Lory jerked fully upright in surprise. This was an interesting twist. He felt a surge of interest and excitement. This game wasn't supposed to be interactive. He grinned and reached for the controller, but he froze as Koichi said, "Leave that controller alone! Just answer my question. Who are _you_ to call _me_ hopeless?"

Takarada Lory might be eccentric, but this was even beyond his imagination, "Umm… that is odd… it must be a glitch in the software. I'd better take a br…"

"Don't even _think_ about turning off the game. What, are you afraid to answer my question; Mr. High-and-Mighty LME President?"

Lory dropped the remote he had been about to use. While he attempted to make sense of the situation, he smoothed his mustache with shaking hands. Then, being Lory, he adopted a haughty attitude, "Are you speaking to me?"

Koichi snorted with disdain, "Of course! Though why I'm even bothering, I don't know. You _claim_ to be an expert on love, but look at yourself… when is the last time you even kissed a woman?"

Lory frowned sadly. All of the energy drained out of him and he slouched back in his plush chair. "How could I do that? The only woman I've ever loved is dead."

Koichi's face relaxed and his expression became slightly sympathetic. "I can understand that kind of love, Takarada Lory… but you're lying to me and to yourself. Jun is not the only woman you've ever loved." Koichi leaned forward until he seemed to be almost leaning out of the screen. "In fact, you're in love right now… but you're too afraid to do anything about it."

Lory's face became set. He didn't even process the fact that this on-screen character seemed to know so much about him. Instead his mind focused on the tiny woman who had been lingering in his mind. "I… you don't know what you're talking about."

Koichi leaned back and the scene zoomed out until Lory could see the man pacing back and forth as he scratched his chin. "Let me think here. I see a woman who's tiny, but beautiful. She seems fragile, but she has boundless energy and enthusiasm for life… and… for some strange reason she is in love with you." He stopped walking and turned to face Lory. "And you love her… you're just too scared to do something about it."

Lory's expression turned haughty, "I am _not_ scared." Then his face turned sad, "I… do care for her… she is a dear friend… she was my wife's dear friend." He gulped and fidgeted with his robe. "I couldn't… I can't dishonor Jun like that."

Suddenly Euiko stopped crying in the background and turned towards the screen. As she walked forward her face began to change… and morph. Lory's heart caught in his throat as he began to recognize the face. Tears began to run down his face and he said, "Jun?"

The woman nodded and smiled the haunting smile that always made Lory's heart skip. "Hello, Lory. I missed you."

"How?" Lory found himself unable to continue.

"'How' doesn't matter, Lory. The real question is 'why'?" Jun smiled affectionately. "I need to remind you of your promise."

"Jun… I can't do that to you."

"To me… or to yourself. Lory, dear… I love you dearly, but I can't be there for you. Lory, you care for Ten, and she cares for you. You even have my express permission to marry her… so why won't you?"

Koichi spoke up, "I already said it: He's scared."

"I am _not_ scared!"

Jun stepped forward and suddenly she was out of the screen and standing in front of him. She leaned forward and touched Lory on the jaw with one soft hand. "Lory, you _are_ scared. You're scared that she's so fragile. You're scared that you'll lose her just like you lost me… aren't you?"

Lory stiffened. His mind was torn between the impossibility of the feel of Jun's hand on his face and the sting of her words. He reached up to touch her hand, but he couldn't feel anything. Koichi's voice intruded. "So instead of stepping up to the plate, you spend your time playing silly romance games and interfering with your employees' love lives."

"Koichi, please."

Jun tried to interrupt, but the on-screen character only sneered and continued, "Jelly Woods has waited for this fool for years, and now he knows that she's about to leave for good and _he's_ sitting in this room _playing games!_"

"RICK!" Jun snapped, and the character stopped. He dramatically raised his hand to his lips and made a zipping motion before turning his back and walking away.

Jun shook her head and turned back to Lory. "He's obnoxious, Lory, but he's also right. Ten has been waiting for you for a long time… much longer than she should have… or than you deserve. I love you Lory, but I never thought of you as cruel."

"That's why I'm letting her go, Jun. She deserves better."

"What she _deserves_ is for you to love her the way that you both want. What she _doesn't _deserve is for you to allow her to leave as if she doesn't matter to you. Lory, if she's waited this long, do you really think that she'll be able to just pick up and start over with another man?"

"I think we should make him wear the pink suit!" Koichi yelled from the background.

Jun smiled tolerantly and shook her head, "He means well. It's time, Lory dear. It's time to move on."

Lory jerked and sat up. He was alone. His game was frozen on the screen. It had all been a dream. He reached up his hands and wiped the tears from his face. He looked at the screen and the two characters who were waiting for his next move.

And then Takarada Lory stood up to go take a show and change. He had things to do.

* * *

**Notes: **Thanks for your patience. A lot of little details in this chapter, and overall it is not that exciting, but necessary to the story. I'll try not to take so long for the next chapter.


	16. What only the moonlight saw

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 16 – What only the moonlight saw**

Jelly couldn't help but smile as she worked her magic on the girl in front of her. Kyoko grumbled at first when Sebastian had been sent to drag her out of the kitchen in preparation for the Grateful Party. But Jelly Woods had known exactly how to bring the girl around. "I'm sorry for asking Sebastian to drag you away, Kyoko-chan… but even fairy godmothers need a little time to work."

As predicted, Kyoko's eyes began to sparkle and she was drifting off to her own little dream world. Julie walked in carrying a bundle and beaming at the two ladies, "Well, here it is. I had to pull out all the stops and call upon the assistance of a local expert, but it should fit perfectly now."

Kyoko gasped in awe as the garment bag was carefully unzipped to reveal a "princess dress." It was white-lace with a light-blue bodice and a full, flowing skirt. The sleeves were puffed and the neckline was low enough to show off Kyoko's slender neck and upper chest, without being so low that it made her feel uncomfortable. Kyoko looked immensely pleased, but then her face turned sad, "Of all the times to break a leg… and it's such a beautiful dress."

Julie smiled affectionately, "Well then, you'll just have to make my son take you on a date with it once your leg is healed."

"But… I can't expect the costume department to hold this dress just for me. I'm sure that they'll need it elsewhere."

Jelly giggled merrily while Julie shook her head, "Kyoko, this is _your_ dress. I designed it for you."

Kyoko paled. "Oh no! It's too expensive! I can't possibly accept something like th…"

"Kyoko," Julie asked darkly, in a look that looked remarkably similar to the one Ren had often used on her, "Are you saying that you won't accept my gift?" Her eyes went from dark and forbidding to pleading in a heartbeat. Kyoko cringed. She knew these eyes. They were the same puppy-dog eyes that Ren used so devastatingly well, "I worked so hard making this for you, and now you're saying that you can't accept it… I feel so sad…"

"I'll accept it! Thank you! Please don't look like that!" If Kyoko could have, she would have thrown herself to the floor in repentance. As it was, she repeatedly bowed her head in remorse. Then Julie giggled, "Relax, Kyoko; I was only playing with you. But you _will_ hurt my feelings if you don't accept. Besides, this dress was fashioned specifically for you. If you don't accept it, I'll have to throw it away."

"No, Please! I accept it. I love it. I'll always cherish it."

Julie smiled, stepped forward, and hugged the pretty girl, "Good. I hope that you realize that you're going to have to get used to being spoiled. My husband and I have always wanted a daughter… and my son doesn't plan on ever letting you go."

Kyoko didn't hear most of what was said. She was too busy mumbling about puppy-dog eyes and the unfairness of it all. Jelly overheard her and started giggling. For the next thirty minutes the two ladies worked together to prepare Kyoko. When the dress was on, they fussed with her hair putting it up high on her head and holding it in place with pins. Then, as if by some signal, there was a knock at the door. Kuu leaned in and asked, "Is everyone decent? I wanted to see my Kuon."

"Otou-san!" Kyoko smile gloriously. Kuu grinned from ear to ear and then he whistled. "Wow! You're gorgeous!"

Kyoko blushed red from head to toe, but she also smiled. To have the man she called "Father" say something like that to her… it was a dream come true. Kuu stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Kyoko, you really do look beautiful… but something is missing." He bent to reach under the table where Jelly had placed her makeup and tools. When he stood up, he had a box in his hands. "Every princess needs her own pair of glass slippers. These should do the trick."

Kyoko's eyes opened wider as Kuu bowed dramatically and opened the box. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the glittering, jewel-encrusted, high-heeled shoes. "Happy Birthday, Kyoko." They were glass at the toes, but a silver fabric in the areas that would touch tender areas on the heel. Altogether they were the most beautiful shoes she had ever seen. Kyoko looked up at Kuu with glowing eyes. Her initial instinct was to reject the gift and claim that she was unworthy, but she couldn't do it. This was a gift from her father. Unable to speak, she nodded her acceptance and looked at the man with loving, tear-filled eyes. She only wished that she could wear the shoes on both feet.

The next to step into the room was Takarada Lory. He was dressed as Saint Nicholas, not the modern character, but the bishop from legend. His eyes met Jelly's, and Kyoko could feel an unexplainable tension there. She remembered the night spent under the blanket with the tiny lady, and it made her feel sad that matters were still left unresolved. Lory pulled his eyes off of Jelly so that he could look at Kyoko. His eyes were caring and his smile was warm as he said, "Mogami-san, am I to understand that you have recovered your lost emotion? Are you ready to admit your feelings for Tsuruga Ren?"

Kyoko blushed, especially since she was in the same room as Ren's parents. After a moment of hesitation she looked up and met the man's eyes, "Hai, Takarada-Shacho."

"Then it is only fitting that you should wear the crown of victory." He held out his hand and Sebastian seemed to materialize out of nowhere holding a pillow. On the pillow was a delicate silver and pearl tiara. Jelly stepped forward and took it off of the pillow. In a matter of moments it was perfectly placed on Kyoko's head. Now she could see that even her hairstyle had been chosen to accommodate and highlight the tiara. Julia finally rolled the large mirror around so that Kyoko could see herself. Kyoko was stunned with what she saw. She was a princess straight out of her fantasies. Tears of joy flooded her eyes and she was so busy thanking everyone that she didn't see Lory's uncharacteristically anxious expression.

Lory cleared his throat and quietly asked, "May I have a moment alone with Mogami-san? It won't take long." Lory made a request of Kyoko which made her eyes widen in surprise, but she enthusiastically agreed. Lory thanked her, stood and turned to leave.

Kyoko was so caught up in thinking about what Lory had requested that she didn't see Ren step into the room… and yet somehow she felt his presence. Lately she was becoming increasingly aware of him. Before two days ago she didn't understand that feeling, and it made her uncomfortable. Now she did understand it… and she wasn't sure how to feel. When he was away from her, she felt his absence and it bothered her. When he was nearby, she felt his presence, and it both pleased and embarrassed her. She had always been aware of his handsome face and fit body… but now it was affecting her in ways she was still unprepared for. Perhaps this, more than anything else, helped her to see that her previous feelings for Fuwa Sho were not as strong as she supposed; he had never made her feel the way that Ren did.

After the second press conference Ren had opted to return to his previous dark brown. His current films called for it, and that was who he was now… who he had been for the past seven years… and who Kyoko had fallen in love with. The difference was that now Tsuruga Ren was not an act… he was the man that Kuon had grown into. He examined Kyoko with adoring eyes that made Kyoko's heart leap and skip and dance in her chest. Then he knelt on one knee before the beaming princess in her wheelchair.

His eyes continued to survey her appreciatively, and it made Kyoko's heart beat faster and her face flush. Ren smiled and she almost couldn't breathe. "I may not be the prince you thought I was, but you are most definitely a princess. You are positively regal this evening, Kyoko."

He took one of her delicate hands, knelt, and kissed it. Even kneeling, with her in the wheelchair, he had to look down slightly to meet her eyes. You look beautiful in that dress, Kyoko, but there's still something missing." He pulled a long, rectangular box out of his coat pocket and extended it toward her. Releasing her other hand, he opened the box to reveal a string of pearls. Kyoko started to speak, but Ren halted her by gently touching her lips with the fingers of one large hand, "You accepted clothing from your brother when you were playing Setsu. Isn't it only fair that you accept this small necklace from the man who loves you?" His face became Cain's for a moment, and he frowned, "You wouldn't want to take away my only joy… would you?" Then, to top off his words, he used level 3 puppy-dog eyes.

Kyoko frowned, but she didn't stop him from reaching around her neck to clasp the string of pearls. She gave a small shiver as his hands brushed her shoulders. Ren felt it and had to force away the urge to pull her body into his arms. He leaned back and looked at her now. "There, now the picture is complete. Merry Christmas Kyoko."

Kyoko was flushed , but she still managed to sternly say, "Ren-s… Ren, you should say Happy Birthday too. This is enough of a present for both occasions. Please don't waste your money on me."

Ren chuckled and brushed Kyoko's face with his fingers, "Give it up, Kyoko. This is a battle you'll never win. I want to spoil you. I _insist_ on spoiling you. I can't take away all of those years of pain from your childhood, but I can make sure that you feel loved and wanted for at least the next sixty or seventy years."

Kyoko was really blushing now, and she looked so incredibly cute that Ren could no longer resist. He leaned forward and brushed his lips to hers… then he gave her a deeper kiss… and he would have done more except for the sound of a throat being cleared behind him. He leaned back slowly, holding Kyoko's golden eyes with his before finally standing. "I have the feeling that I'm about to be kicked out, Princess. I'll see you out there soon."

Ren stepped away and Jelly stepped forward again. "Men! He was trying to undo all of my hard work." Kyoko was beet-red with embarrassment, but Jelly affected not to notice. "Let me do a little touch-up, and then we'll get the guest of honor out to the party.

* * *

The party began promptly at seven p.m., but the guests began arriving as early as six and continued to trickle in until as late as nine. There were the LME employees, of course, but there were also directors, producers, and others. One evidence that Kyoko had no sense of superiority was that she had invited as many behind-the-scenes people as she did actors and directors. For her there was no distinction of persons based upon position.

It was unfortunate that the Daruma-ya couple weren't able to be there. Lory had actually offered them airplane tickets, but Christmas was one of their busiest days and they couldn't afford the time away. They had seen the television news and the Okami-san had phoned Kyoko to verify the truth. She had been wonderfully supportive, just as she always had been. The Taisho, on the other hand, had elected to reserved judgment until Tsuruga Ren sat in front of him and they could have a nice, long, man-to-man talk.

LME had a plethora of talents, but Lory wanted to allow everyone a night off, so he called in local musicians. These proved to be worth their pay, and it freed the guests to dance or visit as they chose. Still, a few of the LME musicians took their turns as the night progressed. Maria stayed primarily with Ren, Kyoko, Kanae, Chiori, and Yashiro, who all made up a group. While they stayed mostly together, they were seldom left alone. Ren attracted attention wherever he was, quite naturally, but it wasn't him everyone was gravitating toward on that night.

Over the last two years Mogami Kyoko had blossomed from the almost nondescript sixteen year-old to a beautiful eighteen year old. Ren had always seen her for what she was, but now others were noticing. In truth, the number of guys who were noticing her and approaching her was beyond irritating, but he didn't feel the urge to kill that he always had before… Kyoko has accepted his love, and that was enough. Still, he remained next to her throughout the night.

Maria was ecstatic with all of her presents. She circulated throughout the room but she often returned to Kyoko's side… the avalanche had disturbed her more than she was ready to admit and she needed the assurance of Kyoko's presence. Kyoko didn't mind. She was still haunted with the images Jun had shown her and she was determined to do everything she could to aid Maria's continued progress.

Eleven in the evening came and with it came an even more extravagant show than in the previous year. It began with taking everyone up to the rooftop restaurant, which afforded an unobstructed view of the mountain. Below the avalanche line light suddenly began to appear and proceed down the mountain. Lory had contacted Hachiro and made a very lucrative offer to him and all of the qualified skiers and snowboarders that he could round up. Within minutes over fifty lights were winding down. They formed two lines which wove in and out of each other like two serpents dancing. Halfway down the lights became shooting sparkles, enhancing the image with blues and reds and many other colors.

As the two lines neared the bottom of the hill the lights went out. Before the party goers could even sigh they were given a new treat: With startling booms rockets shot high into the air in a half-circle and then exploded in a fountain of beautiful colors. The fireworks show continued for the next ten minutes, completely distracting the party crowd. Only three people weren't focused on the fireworks. Jelly Woods had been close to Kyoko when the fireworks began. Kyoko had observed her throughout the evening and she had noticed the underlying sadness beneath Jelly's smiling exterior.

She reached out to touch the small woman's hand and Jelly looked over at her in the dark. "Ten-san, when everyone goes back down, could you stay with me for just a few more minutes?" Kyoko had relayed Takarada Lory's request to Ren, so he knew what to expect. He would be waiting for her beside the elevator.

"I would be happy to, Kyoko-chan," Jelly smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

When the fireworks reached their crescendo and the last sparkle fell to the snow below, everyone began to head downstairs again. Ren lingered until almost everyone was gone, and then he leaned over and kissed Kyoko lightly. "I'll be just inside." He stood and quickly left.

Jelly took a seat on the same bench they had shared on that other snowy night. "Did you need to speak with me, Kyoko-san?"

Kyoko smiled in the moonlight, her anticipation clearly showing on her face, "Not exactly. I was asked to keep you here by someone else… I think that he has something to say."

Jelly looked at her quizzically before beginning to look around. She opened her mouth to speak again but only made a startled sound as Takarada Lory materialized out of the shadows. At some point during the fireworks he must have stepped out to change, because now he was looking devilishly handsome in a perfectly fitted tux. "Thank you, Mogami-san. I'll take it from here. We'll be down… soon."

Kyoko nodded to him and then turned to speak to Jelly, but the tiny woman's eyes were fixed on the tall, dignified man. Grinning to herself, Kyoko worked her wheelchair towards the dining room doors. As she neared them, Sebastian silently opened one side and gave her his own nod of gratitude. "May I?" He asked, indicating the wheelchair.

"Yes, please, Sebastian-san. And thank you." Sebastian stepped behind her and expertly maneuvered the wheelchair through dining area and down the short hall to the elevator. Kyoko looked back, "Is what I think is happening truly happening?"

"I sincerely hope so." Sebastian was a man of few words, but there was a depth of feeling in those few words that told Kyoko a lot. This man cared for Lory and Jelly, and he wanted them both to be happy.

Ren was waiting at the elevator doors. He bowed slightly to Sebastian, who stepped away and allowed the tall man to take over. Ren raised an eyebrow to Kyoko as if to ask, _Did he ask her?_ She shrugged in return, clearly saying, _I don't know. We'll have to wait and see._

* * *

Nervousness is not a trait one would associate with Takarada Lory especially when it came to matters of love… but that was precisely the feeling that was overwhelming him at that moment. Lory had loved precisely two women in his lifetime. Jun had so captivated him that he couldn't stay away from her and his only fear had been losing her to another man before he could slip a ring on her finger. His love for Ten was more like a slow growing tree. It was there as friendship during the horrific days of Jun's sickness. It grew when she stayed by his side and became his personal costume designer to help him overcome his grief. And over the course of time it became a deep and abiding love. He had known the truth for years, but he had always kept this tiny, beautiful woman at arm's length.

It had been cruel, and he knew it. He had always kept her close, but he had never opened his arms and his heart to her. Jelly Woods had devoted much of her adult life to him and he didn't deserve such devotion. Now he was terrified that he had waited too long. In two days the vacation would be over. If he couldn't find a way to express his true feelings, he would lose her.

Jelly waited. A part of her wanted to believe that he was about to express his love, but after such a long wait she had knew that would probably never happen. In her heart she believed that he cared, but not enough to give her the place in his life that had belonged to Jun. Throughout the day she had attempted to keep her distance, to build an emotional barrier, to steel her heart for the end of this vacation. It killed her to think of leaving, but it would be worse torture to remain.

When Lory still hadn't spoken, she said, "Darling, what is it?"

"I've been a fool."

She raised her eyebrows, waiting for more.

"You're so tiny, so delicate, that I was always afraid that you would become sick, just like…"

"Like Jun?" Jelly prompted sadly. She couldn't quite understand what was happening. This man was always so suave, so smooth, so in-control; yet now he seemed more like a lost puppy.

Lory nodded, "It was an excuse… I was frightened. I didn't want to dishonor Jun's memory… our love together… even though it was her who told me to marry you…"

When he didn't continue, Jelly said, "It's okay, Lory. I know how much you loved her and how much she loved you. I've always known deep in my heart that there was no place for me. It was wrong for me to push myself on you. I know that now and that's why I know that it's time for me to leave…"

"NO!" Lory stepped forward and went down on one knee, placing himself at eye-level with her. "No, Ten, you're wrong. There is a place for you in my heart. There's more than just 'a place.' You already inhabit my heart, and you've been there for a long time… only I've been too big of a fool to realize it."

Jelly's eyes had grown wide as he spoke, but then they narrowed almost to slits as she failed to hear the one thing she needed to hear. "Look, Lory, I understand that you need me around, but I can't spend the rest of my life taking care of you when you don't even lo…"

She was unable to complete her sentence because Lory had suddenly seized her and pulled her into his arms as he kissed her, gently at first, but then with increasing vigor. Finally, after a few minutes, he pulled back enough to say, "I love you, Ten, and if you're willing to marry such a fool, I want you to be my bride."

Sebastian stood far back in the shadows and smiled.

He didn't see the two other figures who shimmered slightly in the moonlight as they watched the couple. Rick looked over as Jun smiled sadly, "It isn't easy, even now, is it?"

Jun shook her head slightly, "This world belongs to them now. We have no place in it. I'm only happy that we were given a chance to set some things right." They both turned to go, but Jun took one more glance back and softly said, "but it is still difficult."

* * *

Down in the spacious lobby the party was back in full swing, only now the LME people had been joined by several of the skiers and snowboarders from the hillside show. Fujioka Hachiro showed up hand-in-hand with Tina

Ren saw the couple and smiled. He had been too busy worrying about Kyoko to notice at the time, but he did remember that the two snowboarders had remained close together throughout the dig. He smiled proudly and officially introduced his two old friends to Kyoko. Kyoko, for her part, found that she liked this very pretty American lady, now that she knew that she wasn't there to steal Ren's heart. Kyoko knew just enough details to understand that this lady had some part in the tragedy Ren had alluded to. He had promised to tell her the whole story at a later time and she trusted him to do so when he was ready.

For his part, the sight of Tina looking happy again was medicine for Ren's soul. For the first time in seven long years, Ren felt like he could truly move on and put the past behind him.

The two couples were having a nice conversation when the lights flickered and a band suddenly began playing "Happy Birthday" for the second time during the party. Kyoko turned back from the band to find that Ren had left Kyoko's side and was standing in front of her, an odd look in his eyes. "I was planning on waiting until this moment to begin revealing the truth to you, Kyoko… but my old self was too impatient, and so I spoiled my own plans. Still, as I agonized over the perfect gift, only one thing came to mind: the place that marked our beginning; the place that will always be magical to me, even if I am not the fairy prince of you childhood dreams."

He reached under the table where they had been sitting and pulled out a long scroll-case, which he placed on her lap. Kyoko looked at him in wonder, but then she broke the seal on one end and tipped the tube to extract the scroll inside. It was a deed, in her name, a land-deed whose address looked vaguely familiar. Her eyebrows furrowed and then she realized that the plot described was close to the address of the Fuwa Ryokan. Her eyes grew wide and she looked into Ren's face with excitement. He nodded, and she smiled so brilliantly that every man in the room fell in love with her momentarily. "It's the fairy clearing! Did you really… is it really…?"

"It is yours, and all of the land surrounding it," He leaned over so that only she could hear, "and someday our children will play and sing and dance in the clearing, just like we did." Kyoko blushed scarlet, but she didn't lose her smile, and she didn't melt down.

Ren stepped back so that he could observe her beautiful blushing face, and Kanae stepped up, frowning. She scowled at Ren, and then turned back to Kyoko, "Mo, now I'm almost embarrassed to give you my present." She turned back to Ren again, "I guess you win this year." Her tone was grudging, but she honestly felt pleased to see her dear friend looking so happy. "Here."

Kyoko carefully replaced the scroll in its case and took the heavy box that Kanae offered. She gasped as she opened the box to reveal a wonderfully sculpted rose bud sculpture. It was large, fully twenty-five centimeters tall on a solid base. "It's a music box," Kanae spoke gruffly, trying to hide her own embarrassment for buying such a present. "Try it."

Kyoko found the switch and flipped it. A rich and full rendition of the Sugar Plum Fairy began to play as the petals of the rose slowly opened, first the outside layer, and then the next, revealing a tiny ballerina fairy who pirouetted gracefully in the center. It was perhaps the most beautiful music box Kyoko had ever seen, and she watched in awestruck wonder with tears running down her eyes. If any men hadn't already lost their hearts, they did now. Ren leaned close to Kanae and softly said, "I'm not sure about who won, Kotonami-san. Thank you for making her so happy."

Kanae pulled her eyes away from watching her friend to meet Ren's eyes. "No need for _you_ to thank me. I did it for her…" she paused, making sure that nobody else could hear her before saying, "If you hurt her, or whisk her off to America, I'll hunt you down… don't forget it."

Ren smiled and shook his head. "Never for more than just a visit. Our home is here, with _our_ friends… and I would never willingly hurt her… you have my word."

Maria waited for the music box to play its last note before stepping up. She looked sad as she said, "My present isn't as good as theirs… I'm sorry Onee-sama."

Kyoko carefully set the music box on the table beside her. Instead of taking Maria's present, she pulled the doll-like girl into her arms. "Maria-chan, you're my little sister. Anything you give me is special because it's from you." Then, after Maria beamed at her and stood up, she un-wrapped the rectangular package to reveal a photo album. Everyone who was standing nearby moved forward to catch a glimpse as Kyoko carefully flipped through each page. She looked up in wonder at Maria, "How… how did you get these photos?"

Maria shrugged, "Grandpa has security cameras all over, the best camera's on the market. It wasn't that hard to get pictures from the films. And I just called all of the directors to get the rest."

The album was remarkable. It has photos of Kyoko from the first time that she walked into LME, later when she knelt in front of the building, refusing to leave until they gave her a chance, at the audition, and on and on. There were photos from the acting classes, including her acting in _The Angel's Words_. There was the photo of Kyoko as Choko on _Ring Do_, with additional shots from the two scenes she had done. There were photos of Kyoko, Kanae, and Chiori in pink suits during their funnier moments. There were pictures from the audition of the Curara commercial, as well as from the commercial itself. The album went on-and-on, with scenes from everything that Kyoko had done, including modeling work, and even a section on the previous year's Grateful Party. Kyoko looked up in wonder, "This is amazing, Maria-chan! Thank you so much!"

Maria blushed, "Grandfather said that you still don't understand how much you've grown as an actress, and as a person… so I thought that maybe this would help." She reached forward and flipped to the final page, a picture that could only have been shot hours ago, on this very day. It was a picture of Kyoko dressed as she was now, in her princess dress, wearing a crown, and pearls, and one glass slipper. Maria beamed as she smugly pronounced, "I wanted you to see how beautiful you really are, Onee-sama." Kyoko ran a finger lightly over the photo, and then she reached over and pulled Maria in for another hug. "Thank you, Maria-chan. You're the best little sister in the world."

Many more presents followed, and many of them were surprisingly spectacular. Kyoko had perhaps never realized just how much people had grown to love and care for the strange girl with the golden eyes. On this night they made it clear.

Later, after most of the party goers had drifted off to their rooms, Ren took Kyoko back upstairs to the now-abandoned terrace. The moon was already low in the sky, but neither cared as Ren picked Kyoko up out of her wheelchair, princess-fashion, and spent the remaining minutes until dawn dancing with Kyoko to music that only the two of them heard.

* * *

**Notes:** One more chapter to go, and I promise that Chieko will be dealt with.

I apologize for taking so long on this chapter. You have just read the fifth version. I couldn't seem to write anything I could be satisfied with. Hopefully the final chapter will come more easily. Until then, have a great Valentine's Day.

We should have a Valentine's Day challenge, but I have to continue packing my house right now, so I can't promise that I will be able to participate. I will try.


	17. All good things…

**Sapporo in the Moonlight**

**Disclaimer:** SkipBeat: don't own it, probably couldn't afford it, really like it, 'nuf said

LME Hits a Landmark 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, Lory leases an entire resort in Sapporo and sponsors a company vacation for the holidays. With Kyoko turning eighteen, will Ren finally make his move? And why do mysterious things keep happening?

**Chapter 17 – All good things…**

Ashida Chieko smoothed her skirt in her hotel room mirror and smiled her professional smile, but inside she was irritated.

She had spent most of Christmas Eve manipulating that idiot teenage rock star in order to get him to bend to her will… it hadn't been easy. The foolish boy was not only obsessed over LME's number one pink freak, but he was also upset that his manager walked out on him. Chieko smiled an evil smile, one that she never allowed anyone to see. It was easy to understand why he might be obsessed with his ex-manager… but Chieko knew that she possessed the same attributes and she could easily manipulate the little brat just by dangling those attributes in front of him on occasion. If the boy wasn't so young… and so arrogant, she might have even been willing to switch her target.

When she returned to the hotel that night, it was to find the Second Annual Grateful Party in full swing. When she scanned the spacious room for her target, she discovered that he was once-again in close proximity with that annoying young wanabe actress. It made her blood boil and she didn't even have the desire to flirt with any of the numerous other men at the party. Fuming, she had stalked off to her room, taken two sleeping pills, and drifted off to an unsatisfying sleep.

Now it was time to put her game-face on and prepare for the fallout from Fuwa Sho's announcement later in the day. He was planning on having his own press-conference on Christmas Day, where he would refute some of the story that was already being published in Japan, America, and other places across the globe. He intended to tell the world that he and Kyoko were more than friends; that they, in fact, had been engaged at an early age. She had convinced him that his own career would be unharmed, though Kyoko's career might suffer. It had been easy to play on his arrogance and convince him that the girl would run back to him once her fledgling acting career was snatched away.

There was a knock on the door and Chieko made one last check in the mirror before walking over to answer. She opened the door to discover her boss's silent manservant. She hid an involuntary shudder as she looked at the man. He was silent and mysterious to the point of being frightening, and Chieko often felt as if the man could see right through her. The man bowed and said, "Ashida-san, the President wishes to speak with you in his suite. Please follow me."

She followed the man and marveled at the fact that even his footsteps made no sound. She had always had the distinct feeling that there was more to this man than was clear to the naked eye. He was handsome, no doubt, and she might have even considered him as a target if it was not for that deadly-mysterious quality about him… and the fact that he wasn't rich. They remained silent as they rode the elevator to the top floor and entered the suite.

Jelly Woods was sitting at a small table with Takarada Lory. Chieko noticed that the tiny lady was glowing, and that the tall company president was repeatedly glancing over at her. _What's that about? Did the midget finally seduce the boss? _Chieko frowned internally. She was very aware of the fact that Jelly Woods disliked her. Jelly looked away from Lory, scanned Chieko expressionlessly, and then stood to excuse herself. Chieko glanced around and realized that Sebastian had melted away in his usual creepy way, leaving her alone with her boss.

Chieko gave Takarada Lory her best fake smile, "Merry Christmas, Takarada-shacho. How are you this morning?"

Lory was dressed as a Scottish highland chieftain, complete with a colorful red and black kilt and sash. The costume fit well with his stern, unremitting expression. "Good morning and Merry Christmas to you, Ashida Chieko." His words were friendly, but his tone was not. "You've been very busy over the last several days."

Lory pushed a pile of papers forward. On the top was the envelope that she had given to Kyoko to deliver. Next was a new plane ticket. Under it was a stack of severance papers. Chieko felt her heart race, but she never let it show on her face. Lory continued, "You should have been an actress, Ashida-san. You certainly know how to pretend indifference. I'm curious: what was the urgent message that I needed delivered up to the top of the mountain?"

* * *

Kanae was inclined to grumble, but she didn't really mean it as she helped Chiori and several others remove the previous day's decorations and in preparation for today's. On this day, the actual day of Christmas, there was to be an additional ceremony. Jelly Woods had declared that she had waited long enough. Besides, most of the people she knew best, the talents and staff of LME, were already gathered. When the sun set there was going to be a wedding.

Kyoko, still wheelchair bound, had pouted about not being able to help until Ren wheeled her into the kitchen and ordered her to make something spectacular. At this moment she, Maria, and the large kitchen staff were working on a wedding cake and other confections for the wedding party. The staff might have been inclined to grumble as well, but Lory was paying them enough to take away any pain about working on Christmas Day.

Julie and several other ladies had reversed roles with Jelly and they were now focusing on getting her ready. Periodically she would try to rise and take over herself, but Julie would promptly push her back into her chair and deliver a stern, if smiling admonishment.

Kuu, Ren, Kijima, Yashiro, and many others had been tasked by Julie to keep the very nervous groom from adding additional embellishments to the proceedings. They manhandled him into the bus and took a drive to Sapporo, where they had him fitted with the first normal tuxedo that he had worn for many years. Ren couldn't refrain from making comments about a certain "Love Fool" who took over ten years to propose.

* * *

Ashida Chieko stormed into the hospital and rode the elevator up to the floor where Sho was being kept. As soon as the doors swung open she stalked out, rudely pushing past two nurses who had been waiting to enter. The hallway was relatively clear and she made the trip down the long hallway in just over a minute. She stopped two rooms short, ignoring the hungry stare of the old man in that room as she recomposed her mind before approaching the young rock star. When she felt ready, she completed the final walk in a sultry manner.

She turned into the room and was about to speak when she realized that Fuwa Sho was not alone. A very dignified older-middle-aged man sat upright in a chair beside Sho's bed. The two had obviously just finished a heated conversation because Sho's eyes were flashing with anger. The man whom Chieko recognized as the President of Akitoki Inc. stood, bowed slightly to Sho, and then walked past her without any acknowledgment whatsoever.

Sho, looking embarrassed, clenched his fists and closed his eyes as the man closed the door after passing through. Chieko asked, "What happened?" as calmly as she could.

Sho opened his eyes and glared at the beautiful yet scheming woman. "My _manager_ has jumped ship on me. Can you believe it? She's actually gone to work for LME!"

Chieko felt a rush of hope as she said, "Then make me you manager. I practically ran the company over there anyway."

Sho might be immature, but he wasn't completely stupid. The President of Akitoki, after speaking with Takarada Lory, had passed on what he knew about Ashida Chieko. Sho was ashamed to realize that he had allowed himself to be played by this woman, and mostly because of the way her body appealed to his tastes. "I don't think so. The President has already assigned a new manager. I think that you've done enough. Go home, Ashida Chieko."

His final words were as cold as an arctic blast, and Chieko's anger boiled over, "Listen, you little brat! I know your secrets now! I can…"

"Oh, shut up!" The door opened and two orderlies who had been standing by walked in, "Please take this woman away. I don't know how she got in, but I don't want to be disturbed by her in the future."

Yelling and hurling threats, Ashida Chieko was hauled out of the room, down the hallway, and all of the way to the exit of the building.

* * *

The music began and Maria, clad in a light-blue princess-dress with puffed sleeves and white lace gloves, walked down the aisle scattering rose petals as she walked. When she reached the front she quickly hugged her very nervous grandfather before taking her place on the bride's side. She was followed by a less-enthusiastic boy of the same age, one of LME's child stars whose parents had pushed him into being the ring-bearer. Jelly had asked the three LoveMe girls to be her maids-of-honor, so Kijima escorted Chiori in, Yashiro escorted Kanae, and Ren wheeled Kyoko down the aisle. As he pushed her he leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made her blush, which only enhanced her beauty.

In western-style, the ladies stood to one side and the men stood to the other. Kanae saw Shouko Aki sitting near the front row and she restrained the urge to glare at the woman. Earlier in the day the three LoveMe girls had been shocked when Lory pulled them aside and told them that he thought it was time to make plans for their graduation. This might have made Kanae joyous if he hadn't followed that announcement up with a new one: On the previous evening he had hired Shouko Aki, Fuwa Sho's former manager, as Mogami Kyoko's new manager.

Kotonami Kanae suspected that the man was playing games with her and Yashiro Yukihito, and it angered her. The straight truth was that she didn't know how she felt about the handsome manager, but she started seeing green and thinking violent thoughts whenever Shouko Aki got too close to him. Now _that woman_ was going to be in a better position than she was to spend time with Yashiro. On one hand Kanae thought it was for the best; she didn't need or want a relationship with any man. On the other hand…

The music changed and a handsome, darker-skinned man began escorting a tiny-but-gorgeous woman down the aisle. There had never been a question in Jelly's mind about who would give her away. Sebastian had been there as a friend and a listening ear throughout her long wait for Lory's affection. At one point she had even entertained feelings for the taciturn man, but her feelings for her "Darling" were too strong. When she had asked him to give her away, she was witness to one of his few emotional moments. She would swear for the rest of her life that Sebastian had moisture in his eyes as he politely said, "It would be my honor and pleasure, old friend."

Lory watched as Jelly approached and he wondered why he had foolishly waited for so long. He knew now, as he met her eyes, that he had been deeply in love with her for years. The rest of the ceremony went by in somewhat of a blur to him. They would attend the reception tonight and board an airplane for Paris in the morning. The President of LME was going to leave the company in the hands of his capable directors for one month while he escorted his lady-love around Europe. It wouldn't make up for the time he had foolishly thrown away, but it was a start.

* * *

Smiling contentedly in her sleep that night, Maria dreamed of her own wedding someday, though her groom no longer had a face. Even in her sleep she frowned as she remembered that her Ren-sama would never be hers. She loved her Onee-sama more than any other woman, but that didn't lessen the pain of loss she felt in her dreams.

Once again, as it had so many nights before, a soft and soothingly pretty voice sang her a lullaby and comforted her. Only this time the voice had a face in her dreams. Maria recognized the face. She never saw it in-person but she had seen that face many times in a picture frame on a wall in the mansion. "Grandmother?"

"Yes, Maria-chan."

"It was you all of this time? You're the one who sings to me at night?"

"That's right, Maria-chan. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there in life to be your grandmother. You are such a wonderful young lady and I am so very proud of who you are becoming."

In her dream world Maria rushed into her grandmother's arms and hugged her fiercely. "Thank you, Grandmother. I've missed you too. But… if you could appear to me, why haven't you done so before?"

Jun petted Maria's golden locks, "I wasn't allowed to before, Maria-chan. I'm only being allowed to now because it is time to say goodbye."

"Goodbye!" Maria cried out, "But I've just met you! You can't leave now!" Maria hugged her tightly, as if afraid to let go. Then she looked up, "Is it because Grandfather married Jelly-sama?"

Jun nodded, "Yes, but not because it's a bad thing. I made your Grandfather promise to marry her, but he kept putting it off. He has been unhappy for years, Maria-chan, and it was time for him to put away his sadness and move on."

"Aren't you angry, or jealous?"

"When you can't have someone who you deeply care about, the next best thing is for someone worthy to have him… don't you think? Some else you love, perhaps?"

Maria frowned, "You're not talking about Grandfather; you're talking about Ren-sama and Onee-sama, aren't you?"

"Actually, I'm talking about both. You've always known in your heart that your beloved Ren would find a woman closer to his own age and fall in love, right?"

"I guess so."

"Then isn't it great that he chose someone who is worthy; someone you love maybe even more than him?"

Maria brightened, though her heart still ached, "I see what you mean."

Jun caressed Maria's cheek, "True love longs to see the person you love be happy. As long as you have that type of love, the right person for you will also come along. Don't be in a hurry, Maria. You will be even more beautiful than your mother in a few years, and there will be many men to choose from. Make sure that you find a man who is worthy of your loving heart." Her voice became sad, "I only wish that I could be here to watch. But your grandfather loves you, and Ten loves you, and both Ren and Kyoko love you very dearly. Lean on them now and never let your heart turn bitter again. I will be watching from afar, and I will always love you too."

Maria woke in the night, her pillow soaked with tears. Climbing out of bed she went to the window and looked out to see the moonlight shining on the ghostly white landscape. Even though she knew that her grandmother was gone, she could still feel her warm embrace. Forever afterward, whenever it snowed, Maria would remember, and smile.

**Epilogue:**

Two months had passed. Kyoko had shed her wheelchair and her leg, though not at its original strength, was recovering quickly under the careful guidance of a physical therapist. The director from her current drama had easily worked her injured status in and had even been able to add a comical bent to the otherwise tense courtroom drama.

Ren had brought her back to Sapporo, without offering a clear explanation; he only said that it was a surprise. The past two months had been both embarrassing and wonderful. The press had followed the pair almost everywhere, but the stories were mostly about their fated love rather than the suggestion of scandal. Kyoko's popularity had risen immensely and the offers were pouring in. The Hizuri's had left the day after the wedding, but Julie had returned a week later with a mysterious envelope in her hand. Ren had not explained what the envelope was, but she had seen his blissfull expression when his mother placed it into his hands.

When they climbed into a cab at the airport Ren had alarmed her by requesting that she wear a blindfold. If she hadn't trusted him explicitly she would have declined. As it was she frowned during the entire journey. He made her continue to wear the blindfold even after they exited the taxi. She allowed him to lead her as she tried to discern clues with her remaining senses. There were many voices around her, of all ages, and most of them sounded cheerful, even festive. The air was frigid, but the atmosphere seemed warm. They were still outside but as they walked there was a strange echo that suggested that they were either close to a building or…

Ren removed Kyoko's blindfold and she found herself in the middle of an ice-castle. It was small in scale, but it had turrets and staircases and even a round ice table in the middle of the great hall. "Welcome to Sapporo's Winter Festival, Kyoko." His voice seemed unusually husky, "I couldn't give you the castle you deserve yet, so I thought that this would be the next-best thing."

Kyoko turned around in wonder as she looked at the intricacy of the workmanship. She had always heard about this festival, which featured some of the best ice-carvers in the world, but she had never imagined anything this grand. She made a full circle as she looked, but when she came back to face Ren, she found him on one knee. "Kyoko, you were the first and the only girl I have ever loved, and I want to continue loving you for the rest of my life. I hope that you feel the same. I want to build a castle for you and spend my life with you… and with our children. Will you marry me?"

Ren was so tall that going down on one knee left his head at almost eye-level to her. A crowd was gathering and cameras were flashing, but the couple didn't care. Kyoko reached out one delicate hand and caressed Ren's strong jaw. "I don't need a castle, Corn. I only need my prince. Yes, I will marry you."

Life goes on without beginning or end. Our beloved couple married in the spring. The ceremony was as elaborate as Lory and Jelly's wasn't. The news media were in a frenzy.

Across town a much wiser Fuwa Sho tortured himself by sitting and watching the entire televised event. He had also shed his casts and was preparing for a European tour to clear his mind and refocus on his craft. His new manager, a man, was no-nonsense and incredibly efficient… but he wasn't Shouko Aki. Sho had tried to lure her back twice, but she was happy in her new position as the manager to LME's fastest rising star.

Shouko was happy for another reason as well. Kotonami Kanae had decided that her jealousy was more about competition than infatuation. She wanted to concentrate on her career, so she had bowed out of the race for Yashiro Yukihito's heart. This was a relief for everyone involved because Yashiro was becoming more and more captivated by his fellow manager.

Maria fully accepted Jelly Woods into her life. They became even closer than before and Maria often went to the tiny woman when her Onee-sama was unavailable to offer advice. Neither Lory nor Jelly commented on the second picture frame that Maria added to the shrine she had made for her mother. Lory didn't understand why Maria would place a picture of Jun there, since they had never met, but it made him feel glad just the same. He knew that Jun would have loved Maria dearly.

Ashida Chieko was not heard from again for over a year, at which time she was arrested for embezzlement and extortion through the testimony of the president of one of Japan's largest communication companies. She is currently spending seven years behind bars.

* * *

**Notes: **Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope that it met your expectations and that you will find the time to read my other stories. I have three more in-progress (hangs head in shame) but will hopefully bring at least one to closure soon.

Thanks to Jenn for pointing out a mistake. I gave Kyoko a manager in chapter one and then completely forgot about her for the remainder of the story. I just went back and made the necessary corrections.


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